Thousand Words
by the Dah
Summary: Works written for a drabble challenge. Contains both miscellaneous one-shots and WIP drabble series of Kaoru, Kenshin and Tomoe in various AU and Canon settings.
1. CANON after series - Nightfall

_AN: To battle our writers block, me and my friend Chie came up with a challenge: we take turns to prompt each other to write drabbles. Within 24 hours of receiving the prompt, the writer must write 100-1000 words for any fandom they want._

_In this collection are my works._

_These drabbles were first posted in Tumblr, in blog: "drabblers"._

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><p><strong>Prompt:<strong> Nightfall

**Fandom:** Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting:** Canon (after series)

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count:** 738

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><p>For some men, old age brought a presence of authority, of wisdom and refinement. <em>Not for Himura Kenshin<em>, Kaoru thought with a fond smile and continued to stroke the soft auburn mane of her sleeping husband in fading light of nightfall.

No one would claim Kenshin the proper image of a traditional family's patriarch and that suited them both just fine. Her house-husband delighted in looking after their children, and keeping their house in order. And though that raggedy old pink kimono had been shredded to cleaning materials years ago… _well, perhaps it was inevitable_, Kaoru scoffed and glanced at the shoji screen, over which a purple kimono with large, simplified geometrical patterns was hanged.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to learn that the old pink Kimono hadn't been bought because of its cheap price, nor because it was a reject of bad dyeing attempt… but rather because the odd color had pleased Kenshin's eye. If he had a choice in clothing, he tended to always pick bright colors never once stopping to think how they matched the rest. Because of this, unfortunately, the only darker shaded clothing Kaoru had managed to get her husband to wear was a formal, dark green kimono for more solemn occasions.

_Good that I didn't marry you for your fashion sense_, Kaoru smiled and continued her idle petting. It was a marvel that she was never going to get tired of, that she actually _could_ watch Kenshin to dream. Especially like this; curled on his side, faintly snuffling in deep sleep. In their early years together, this little joy would have been impossible, for the former swordsman had been always a light sleeper, often plagued by nightmares and regrets. It had taken years of love, of trust… raising a family. It was the children that had changed him the most, in truth.

Kaoru had known her husband liked youngsters, ever since he had rescued Yahiko from the gangsters. But seeing Kenshin take their firstborn son into his arms the first time – seeing his tears of amazement, and she had known that she had given him the best gift there was. Even though, Kenji had been a true rascal, eagerly using Kenshin's soft heart to his advantage. Good that at least she had been able to set their son limits or god knows how much more difficult young man he would be now.

_Oh well, Kenji will be Kenji and if nothing else, the summer at Hiko's will be able to straighten him out,_ Kaoru nodded and let a faint grin to rise to her lips. Kenshin's old Master was gaining on years and could use a strong pair of arms helping on the chores. And even better, Kenji needed someone he couldn't mouth of telling him a few facts of life. And Kenshin, too, could use a break of rebellious teen's temper tantrums.

_Good idea, all around._ It truly had been one of Kaoru's more inspired decisions. Some peace and quiet in the house, some time to brush up their younger son's training… and maybe a little bit privacy with her husband. After all, _I'm getting older too. And I would like to have a daughter as well. A little girl with Kenshin's beautiful eyes, before it's too late. _Kaoru paused, briefly and then resolutely continued with strong smooth strokes, moving to gently massage his back.

These twelve years of marriage had peppered Kenshin's hair liberally with gray and brought him crow's feet and deep lines to his face. His was a face of a man who spent his days laughing and smiling, and Kaoru couldn't be happier about the development.

Though, sometimes the signs of the decade Kenshin had on her, brought her worries. The constant pain in his back, the aching old scars on rainy days, the slight limp from joints getting stiffer – all kept reminding her that no matter how she wished, time didn't stop to wait for one man.

"But it is not a worry for tonight, not for years to come. You have brought me so much happiness, so much joy – it shouldn't be possible to fall in love with you more at each nightfall, but how else could I describe this feeling?" Kaoru whispered, and kissed her husband's cheek, at the crossroads of old faint scars. "Sleep well, my love – and let me watch over your dreams a little longer."


	2. HIGHLANDER verse - From the ashes

**Prompt: **From the ashes a fire shall be woken

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin, (Highlander)

**Setting: **Canon AU divergence

**Characters:** Tomoe Yukishiro, Kenshin Himura, Enishi Yukishiro

**Word count: **929

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><p>"TOMOE!" A screeching wail broke the silence of the snowy winter morning, echoing far in the desolate peaks of the Forest of Barriers. Such a sound was inhuman, heartbreaking – just like a demon's death wail from the horror stories. The origin of it; a red haired figure clutching the broken body of a young woman, would cause even the bravest witness to flee in terror. After all, who knew what such monster would do to a man?<p>

But safely in those arms, in that desperate embrace… something far stranger than old superstitions was stirring – a flash of light sparkled in the deep sword gash that had nearly cut the girl's torso in half, and inch by inch the skin started knitting together.

A feeling of warm summer rain dribbling to her face woke up Yukishiro Tomoe, and for a moment she wanted to bask in the sensation. She had always loved the summer season and the happiness it brought; the flowers, the warmth of sun and witnessing the easy joy of her young brother laughing while playing in the yard with his friends. Without further thought, she flexed her fingers… and instead of finding the fresh grass of their family home's backyard, she found something cold, and soft – _snow?_

_How is that possible? _Tomoe startled, and committed the worst mistake someone, whose lungs had been cleaved in half, and forcefully stitched back together bare minutes ago, could make - she _inhaled._

Suddenly it was like she was drowning in blood, as all the loose material still residing in her lungs made their presence known. Tears in her eyes, Tomoe sat up and started hacking and wheezing up the disgusting gunk of blood and tissue in the most unladylike manner.

However, the half of eternity it had taken, hadn't been nearly enough to prepare her for the sight of her Kenshin – horribly injured, his face covered in bruises and ears bleeding, the violet eyes stained red from crying - shying away from her.

"Kenshin… what's wrong?" She whispered, thoroughly unsettled, and reached out to soothe him. _What could have caused _him_ such harm?_

"-n't possible, Tomoe…I killed you!" He rasped, trying to find balance on his shaking arms and coming up short.

"What are you talking about?" Tomoe inquired worriedly, and crawled towards him alike approaching a panicked animal, keeping her moments as unthreatening as possible. Something in his words was tugging her memory, but she didn't have time to think – not while her husband was in such state. Finally getting close enough to touch, she slowly raised her hand to stroke his left cheek, to hide away Akira's scar – and the new, still bleeding addition crossing it.

And suddenly Tomoe could feel the ghostly feeling of her own hand carving that mark._So that after reading my diary and learning all the ugly truths… you wouldn't blame yourself. It's cruel enough that you are forced to remember Akira's death each time when you see your reflection, but if you could see my love alongside it, maybe you would remember that_ – _I forgive you, Kenshin. My second love. _

"… I did that to you?" Tomoe choked, and cupped his cheek in her palm. And in that familiar motion, something far deeper than words was exchanged and a shudder of relief raced through her husband's battered form.

"Tomoe…"

"Kenshin, "She whispered, the feeling of utter relief almost overpowering her. Tears running freely down her cheeks, she crawled closer, intent of falling into his arms like any proper maiden – but suddenly, it was like the single line holding _him_ upwards snapped and his eyes rolled with the loss of consciousness.

"Oof!" Tomoe huffed, thankful for having been close enough, and more importantly, fast enough to catch him. Even from a half crouch, an awkward hit to the frozen ground could seriously worsen head injuries. _Especially that bleeding from the ears… what on earth happened to you?_

Unfortunately, she didn't need to wait too long to know. With the shock and panic wearing off, the patchwork of memories started to resurface – alongside with the realities of sitting in the snow in the early morning of New Year's day. The shivers racing through her body, Tomoe suddenly couldn't help but to notice that she had no feeling in her fingers, and her teeth wouldn't stop chattering.

Unconsciously she grabbed her kimono, to wrap it tighter around her, only to find that the fabric was slashed through, and between the folds of tattered cloth her bare chest was visible – _no wonder I'm freezing! _

Perhaps it was the worst possible time to pay attention to how Kenshin's pale skin was turning blue, and how his bloodied hair had frozen into a solid, tangled mass. Not to mention _his_ fingers…_ Oh god, no…_

"Sister… I, I…" A bewildered gasp arose from behind her, and all of a sudden Enishi was there, her angry, lost, frustratingly _young_ baby brother – "I saw him kill you, but, but…"

"We don't have the time for that! Tomoe gasped, the facts of their unfortunate situation hitting her like a thunderbolt from the clear sky. She could either explain what she could and attempt to soothe her baby brother's worries, or freeze to death with her husband._And I have been through too much to quit now!_

Awkwardly clambering to her feet, she took a good hold under Kenshin's arms and lifted – "yaaaaah!"

"Sister – what are you doing! He killed you!"

"Enishi," she ground out, "explanations can wait. Now shut up and take a good hold of his legs, or I'm going to scream!"


	3. STRIPPER verse 1 - Pandora's Box

**Prompt: **Pandora's Box

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin, (Magic Mike)

**Setting: **Modern AU

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura, (Sanosuke Sagara)

**Word count: **984

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><p>The disco lights created a colorful mural on the ceiling and the low beat of music sank deep into her bones. Kaoru wasn't quite sure if the combination was tacky… or if the impression was helped along by the sight of a hunky man stripping off his clothes along the steps of choreography.<p>

_Just how can all those women find this hot in any way?_ She scowled, and took a long sip of her soda in an attempt to burn out the memory of last fifteen minutes. She had _never_wanted to see that much of her childhood friend's exposed skin.

"Any thoughts, Miss Kaoru? Of Sano's debut, that is?"

Startled, Kaoru spun around and faced the root of all evil; an awfully cute, soft-spoken and polite version of her very own Pandora's Box - Kenshin Himura.

He was standing a few paces from her, holding a drink of his own. And Kaoru couldn't help but to gape; his usually scruffy red ponytail was neatly groomed and tied high. Even odder… he was wearing _amber_ contact lenses. And had he come to the club straight from kendo practice?

Prying her jaw from the floor, Kaoru gathered her wits and asked the one thing she hadn't been able to figure about this mess on her own: "Are you a college student / stripper, or a stripper / college student?"

His answering smile hid layers and layers of emotion, but warring on top were embarrassment and amusement. "Either is fine, that it is."

Inhaling deeply, Kaoru reined in the sudden, overpowering urge to strangle him. If not for him, she wouldn't be in this mortifying place, nor would Sano be doing this disgraceful_thing. _If only she and Sano had never got that group project in their English class…

_If only I hadn't liked you - I wouldn't feel betrayed like this._

"Was Sano's performance truly so awkward for you? He seemed to enjoy himself, that he did."

…and hadn't that been kick in the teeth. Kaoru's best friend through her childhood, Sanosuke Sagara, may have always been easygoing and roguishly handsome, but he fit among the middle-class neighborhood like a round peg in a square hole. It was always this or that; running away from home, fights and three weeks' ban from high school, not a single job lasting for more than week … it truly was a miracle that Kaoru had managed to drag him to college.

"He can't dance worth shit." Kaoru spat out. _Is it too much to ask that Sano's track record would hold just one more time?_

"Oro! That's true!" Kenshin smiled, and it was thoroughly unfair how good the honest amusement looked on him. "But no one can dance at the beginning, that they can't. It's a skill one learns through hours of training and repetition."

"And how much did _you_ train?" she bit out, to change the topic. Truthfully, Kaoru didn't know much about him. But there was this look in his eyes, this familiarity of his manner… all suggested that he was a lot older and far more experienced than his fey features implied.

"Ah, one has been on the scene for a while, that is true. But dancing, that isn't something one ever stops learning, so it isn't." Kenshin answered, then glanced at the stage where the current show of – pirates? was ending. "However, it seems this one has to leave you for now. Might one suggest you stay a little longer? If you are interested in dancing, that is?"

Before Kaoru could vehemently protest against the mere _idea_ of staying and actually watching the show, he was already gone.

_The nerve! _Annoyed, Kaoru burrowed deeper into her bar stool and drew her arms around her. _Nothing _about this made sense! Sano was obviously fine and doing this stupid thing out of his own will – and there was little she could do to stop him since criminal activities weren't involved. And as a daughter of a respectable family, Kaoru had never been interested in "bad boys" like most of the other girls, either. So, _why_ was it so hard to grab her coat and walk out of the door?

_It can't be that I actually want to see Kenshin's… act? No, because that would be…._

"Ladies… here is the moment you have all been waiting for." The announcer's speech rang out, and lights dimmed – only a spotlight framed the speaker in shadow. "I ran across this man a few years ago and right away I knew he had something special – something extraordinary. His talent can't be explained by words, it can only be experienced. I give you – _Battousai!_"

The room darkened entirely and absolute silence settled on the crowd.

Then, a single spot of light fell to the stage and in the center stood a figure in the traditional Samurai's garb, holding his arm to the side in the stance for Kesagiri -strike. _But he has no weapon, how is he going to –_

And suddenly the background of the stage came alive and Kaoru gasped. On the led screen started an arrangement of shadow images, and in perfect synchronization with the storytelling, Kenshin begun dancing through the sword drills with his projected blade, turning art of the sword, the sheer sensuality of dance and the precision of mimicry into something_ more_.

And when Kenshin took his first hit in the story's deadly struggle and his kimono fell into tatters – Kaoru didn't even notice anything amiss.

Time lost its meaning as he danced around the stage, and when he finally untied the hakama and revealed the magenta thong barely protecting his modesty, Kaoru shivered in anticipation. The heat in her core gained a feverish pitch, and then - his skin glistening with sweat and amber eyes smoldering – Kenshin looked right at _her_.

_Yes, just like opening the Pandora's Box… Oh god, he is beautiful! _

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><p><em>AN: For those interested, Kenshin is 32 in this. He quit his high school at the age of 16 and went of to do really stupid things. Now, after getting his life back on track and having collected enough funds, he is back at school and attempting to get a good education. Kaoru and Sano are both 21.<em>


	4. FTM verse - It was dark and stormy night

**Prompt: **It was dark and stormy night

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Canon AU

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count: **993

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><p>It was a dark and stormy night; the harsh wind was blowing directly from the sea and kept rattling the bare branches of the courtyard's maple tree against the patio's canopy. Kaoru sighed, and turned to her right side, adjusting her pillow once more. However, unlike most of the nights since the Jineh fiasco, Kaoru wasn't gasping for breath and clawing her throat. Instead, she was trying to put together the pieces of a certain redheaded puzzle, and the latest addition to the mystery.<p>

_I love him just the way he is_ – _that I damn well know already. _Kaoru huffed, and turned once more. The age difference, his bloody past… none of it mattered. But the thing was; she had _sworn_ that Kamiya Kasshin Ryu would rise again. And for her, just a few short months ago it had meant gaining the master's rank, countless of students, fame to the style and at some point in the distant future a _son_ to continue her father's legacy.

But that fateful night, when she had leaned against Kenshin's side when limping back home… she had felt a _curve_ to his hip through the layers of baggy clothes. And if that impression was true, then there was no possibility of children, ever.

_Does it matter?_

Turning to her side once more, Kaoru suddenly noticed faint light through the paper of the terrace's door. _Huh? Kenshin is awake, too?_

_But it's the middle of the night! Is something wrong?_ Suddenly, wasting time with this tossing and turning felt laughable. Hurriedly Kaoru adjusted her sleeping robe better, and swept the stray hairs that had escaped from her braid into something resembling an order, and then she was tiptoeing towards the kitchen, through the dimly-lit corridors.

Pausing to watch him stoking the fire of the stove from the doorway, it was obvious to her that he hadn't been sleeping well either. _Nightmares, again?_

The small, lacquered tea jar on the table confirmed her suspicions, though perhaps the fact Kenshin hadn't even bothered tying his hair or changing out of his sleeping robe told more.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, stepping inside.

"Oro?" Kenshin spun around like a spooked deer, and unconsciously lifted the teapot to hide his chest better. However, the comfortably worn white cotton revealed enough to confirm what Kaoru had, in truth, already known. Not pausing to stare, she quipped; "I can't sleep either, not with the wind howling like that."

"…Miss Kaoru," Kenshin stammered, his eyes wide open and his shoulders tensing. Clearly having been caught in such state of undress made him very uncomfortable, but then with formidable self-control, he shook his head and turned around to set the water to boil. "Did this unworthy one wake you, that is?"

"No, you didn't," Kaoru answered easily, sneaking a peek at his back. Even if his sleeping robe was tied low, just like was the proper way for a man – in this light, Kaoru could easily see what she had felt earlier, the feminine curve to his waist and hip. _Even as thin he is…. that can't have been easy to hide during the war_. "Truthfully, since Jineh – nightmares have been common."

"Ah… one is sorry, so he is."

"It wasn't your fault! And you saved, me – remember?" Kaoru prompted, already cursing her lack of forethought. _Just why did I have to mention Jineh? Kenshin has honed guilt into an art! Kaoru, you idiot! _"Mou! I keep sticking my foot in my mouth. The last thing I wanted was to make him feel _worse_," Kaoru muttered to herself, sulking.

"…one dreamt of Kyoto, that he did."

"Oh…"

Glancing over his shoulder, Kenshin went back to preparing the tea, and continued; "This one hasn't had those dreams for years, but oddly – tonight he fought against the Shinsengumi in those shadowed streets."

"Shinsengumi?" Kaoru hesitantly inquired, the name feeling familiar.

He nodded, and for whatever reason, _continued_ his explanation; telling her of his fights against the Shogunate's notorious policing force in the old capital and answering her questions. It was bizarre, and oddly heartwarming, for Kenshin had never spoken of his past like this. Kaoru smiled, honored by such show of trust. Maybe that's why it felt like the easiest thing in the world to walk up to his side, to pass him the tea and cups as the water started boiling.

This time he didn't tense up by her approach, but kept carefully measuring the tea into the infuser.

"I never bother to measure it," Kaoru confessed feeling somewhat embarrassed, suddenly realizing just why her tea always tasted different, and often slightly off.

"That works just as well, so it does. It's just a matter of preference and practice," Kenshin answered, and swept the longer strands of hair behind his ear. Being this close, it was impossible not to notice how very beautiful he was.

And suddenly, it hit her how _good_ it felt to stand by his side. That simply being close to him eased her worries and brought a smile to her lips, and wasn't that the most important thing?

_I don't need those little girl's dreams anymore…_

Kaoru swallowed, but resolutely stepped closer.

"…Miss Kaoru," he whispered, eyes widening – but he _didn't_ shy away.

Heart thundering in her chest, Kaoru reached and slipped her hands into that soft, red mane and slowly kissed him on the lips. And for a second, she was sure that she had overstepped – badly – and that everything would be ruined by a moment's stupidity. But then he leaned his forehead against hers and exhaled softly, wrapping his arms around her.

"…please forgive me for being so forward." Kaoru whispered in his embrace.

"There is nothing to forgive, that there isn't." He whispered. Then he straightened and stepped back, an apologetic look in his eyes.

It wasn't a promise, but neither was it denial. And Kaoru Kamiya was nothing but stubborn once she had decided what she wanted.

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><p><em>AN: I confess that the concept of FtM trans!Kenshin is one of my oldest, dearest plot bunnies. <em>


	5. MAKE A WISH verse 1 - Making a wish

**Prompt: **Making a wish

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count: **1000

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><p>"That was an impressive duet performance from Zanza and Miss Takani – I have never seen such an antagonistic pair on stage, but somehow they made it work! What a night it has been! But, there is still more to come in our "Make a Wish" charity concert, where nation's top artists are gathered on one stage and randomly chosen partners and songs to perform, and given only one day to practice!<p>

In a few minutes we will see an unlikely match-up that will definitely get your hearts pumping! The rising star and a true lady of rock, Kaoru Kamiya, will join her efforts with the country's heart-drop, whose name tops the record sales rankings year after year – Kenshin Himura. Say, how do you think they'll tackle this challenge, considering their very different genres?"

"Well, though I have always admired Miss Kamiya's fierce energy, I think there is only _one_way they can perform Himura's hit, the legendary ballad _Rainmaker_."

"Yes, and weren't the lyrics written specially for Kenshin, by his late wife Himura Tomoe? I remember reading somewhere that the _Rainmaker_ has special significance. I mean, besides it being the most sold record of the last decade and a Karaoke classic everywhere…"

"Only one way to perform – gah!" Kaoru huffed and switched off the TV. True, the_Rainmaker_ was a beautiful ballad. Sure, even Kaoru herself had grown up hearing it blasting from the radio everywhere and Kenshin had performed it in the first concert her father had ever taken her. But wasn't whole point of this "Make a Wish" - challenge to come up with something new?

Butterflies fluttering in her stomach, Kaoru glance at her watch – only a couple minutes before they were up. To pass the time, she idly marked; "You know, last night I kept thinking that someone up there had a grudge against me."

"Oro!" The redhead idly drumming his knee on the couch by her glanced up, a bit befuddled. And Kaoru couldn't stop the smile that rose to her lips.

Truthfully, while she had met Kenshin quite a few times at the galas and back stage and whatnot, she had never actually _talked_ to him. Her only impression was that he was a good, if somewhat boring artist – all his songs seemed to blend together. One ballad after another, all very beautiful but… _flat_, colorless. Just the way his middle-aged house-wife fans liked it.

And when yesterday evening they had shot the TV-spot for tonight's match-ups, Kaoru had inwardly cursed her luck when she had drawn the biggest name on the list as her partner. Her mood had fallen even darker when they had ended up with _his_ hit to perform. And truthfully, it hadn't helped that _both_ of their managers had been adamant that _Rainmaker_ should be performed as a ballad, and even Gensai-san had kept saying: "Kaoru-chan, it's good for your imago. Your fan-base is very narrow, and the only way you can get a higher following is by broadening your repertoire."

She had been angry enough to kick someone's teeth in and had locked herself into her changing room for hours to beat out her frustration on her punching bag.

It wasn't like she couldn't manage that delicate feminine pitch they all kept insisting on. It was just that Kaoru had her own way of doing things. She loved the adrenaline rush of the stage and wanted to bring in something fresh to the music world, change it up – push it forward. That was why she had chosen to plough her way in the male-dominant genres of rock and heavy metal, never once singing of death and destruction as was the norm. No, Kamiya Kasshin had never been about _hate,_ but of love, caring, protecting - with energy and power to back the lyrics up!

But then, yesterday night her tirade had been interrupted by a delicate knock on her door, and when she had opened it she had found herself face to face with a polite and charming, if a little short redhead, who had asked her out to dinner so they could plan their performance. He had been kind and very accommodating - never once making assumptions, always willing to listen and Kaoru couldn't believe she was dining with a true Super Star. And then…

"Kenshin, why did you decide to go along with my idea?" Kaoru asked, glancing at him – and again, felt deeply amused by how _good_ the hair extensions, eyeliner and tight leather pants looked on him. _Oh, his fans will get a stroke!_

Leaning back on the couch, Kenshin sighed deeply and remarked softly; "_Rainmaker_… Miss Kaoru, were you aware it's about this one falling in love with his late wife, Tomoe, that it is?"

The change in his usually happy and calm demeanor was acute, and Kaoru could only manage an unsure "Oh…"

"But though it's common knowledge… what people don't know, is that originally it was a poem she wrote in her diary, just the night before the accident. I… I…" Kenshin stammered, sinking deeper into the couch. At the sight, something broke in Kaoru's heart.

"After her death, the only way I could cope was by continuing to sing just like she wanted. And that song, it _always_ hurts when I sing that song, that it does. But… it's been 14 years now, that is has, and she didn't write those words to _hurt_ me, but out of _love_. Your music, Miss Kaoru… it's like a new wave, a spring. And Tomoe's song deserves a new start, that it does." Kenshin finished, looking right at her – his violet eyes were misted – but determination was etched on every bone of his body.

And Kaoru couldn't help nodding, deeply impressed. Then, rising, she extended her hand to him; "Let's go and rock their hearts out!"

"Oro…" He gasped, surprised but then a real smile rose to his lips, and he grabbed her hand and heaved himself up, "Yes, let's."

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><p><em>AN: I confess that this drabble was heavily influenced by my fiancee's recent addiction to Finnish TV show, "Vain Elämää" and how Toni Wirtanen did a marvelous rock- remix of Paula Koivuniemi's hit song "Sata Kesää, Tuhat Yötä". <em>

_Also, I kept thinking about their show clothes, so there is a illustration for this in my Tumblr._


	6. MAKE A WISH verse 2 - Paper Lanterns

**Prompt: **Paper Lanterns

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU, (continues "Making a wish" - drabble 5)

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count: **981

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><p>"I keep telling you, it can't be just a flickering light in the lantern!"<p>

"Oro! But they can have either candles or electric lights, and in the right circumstances – both can flicker like that, that they can Miss Kaoru."

"But what if isn't just a faulty light? What if it's a flash?" Kaoru huffed, with a pout – eyeing the cheerful, if a bit old fashioned piece of decoration on the opposing side of their table. It fit the mood of the cheap, homely beef pot restaurant Akabeko perfectly. It was just that every now and then Kaoru kept seeing a light flicker out of the corner of her eye, and it was_ annoying._

"A flash?" The disarmingly cute redhead sitting across from her, Kenshin Himura, paused in his attempt of fishing the dregs of beef slices with his chopsticks. "Oro, you mean that of a camera, that is?"

"Yeah, " Kaoru nodded, not quite understanding his puzzlement. Wasn't this sort of thing the norm for Super Stars? And of the two of them, Kenshin definitely fit that bill – his concerts always racked up thousands of eager fans.

"Err, well, that is certainly possible, but unlikely, that it is. This one is often considered too boring by the tabloids. And it isn't like we are doing anything wrong, that we aren't." Kenshin's cheeks were tinted by the most adorable blush – which by all means should have clashed horribly with his magenta shirt.

_Speaking of which, what kind of a man, willingly and unrepentantly wears a pink shirt? Especially when his every action is of interest to someone?_ Kaoru frowned, picking up a piece of tofu to chew while thinking. _But then again, I can't remember a headline covering Kenshin, well, excepting his charity work, or shows… the only thing the press still digs up is that horrible car crash that killed his wife and gave him that gruesome scar…_

_But too boring for the paparazzi? They take pictures and rack up headlines of people going into grocery stores to buy ready-made meals, for god's sakes! _Kaoru grumbled at the memory. Okay, she didn't know how to cook, but plenty of people didn't. It wasn't really all that newsworthy! _Grrrr, if I ever find that bastard of a reporter…_

"Forgive this one for his rudeness, but did you get any negative feedback regarding our duet in the "Make a Wish" concert?

"…um, well, mostly it has been very positive, thank you by the way. My latest record's sales jumped up quite a bit." She started, but a stray thought came to her and not quite managing to hold in her wicked grin, she added: "But, there _were_ a few concerned fans accusing me for corrupting you, and dragging you to the Satan's path…"

"Wha…. Oro!" His expression was that of stunned disbelief, complete with a stray noodle trying escape out of the corner of his lips. It _truly_ wasn't her fault that all the floodgates of polite manners broke open and Kaoru burst into wholesome and loud laughter.

Kenshin's blush returned full force, going all the way down to his _neck_. And for a second, Kaoru was sure that she had unwittingly insulted him – but then he, too, burst into laughter, eagerly joining in her merriment.

It felt _good. _Unabashedly good to laugh for the sheer enjoyment of it, and Kaoru didn't even remember the last time she had had such a good time with anyone. Not with all her ambitions and work, shows and worries.

_Just for that… I could kiss you._

Eyes widening, Kaoru paused for breath and stared at him – _where had that come from? Kiss him? Like dating and lovey dovey and, and…_

His violet eyes were bright, and he looked so cute, so approachable in his everyday clothes. Just like someone whom she could easily call her boyfriend.

_…oh god, I have gone and fallen in love with him. _Kaoru gaped, and leaned backwards, setting down her chopsticks. Needing some distance, some time to think this through, she asked; "Mind if I handle the bill, yeah?

"Errr, did this one offend? Forgive…"

"No, no… just a moment. Please, Kenshin." Kaoru rose to stand, groped for her wallet and escaped.

It was easy enough to pay for their meal, even though it _was_ a rude breach of etiquette. But then again, the server wasn't inclined to make a hassle out of it, so perhaps it was alright. But more importantly, it had given her some time to collect her thoughts, and get a grip of her emotions – enough that coming back she noted a suspicious-looking man, smoking alone in his booth and watching Kenshin.

Just as Kaoru's heart was about to stop, and she was absurdly sure that something bad was afoot, just like in all those spy movies, the smoker signaled something – and Kenshin noticed it, tilted his head and then shook his hand a tad in a dismissal.

The smoker shook his head, stumped his cigarette and left, and Kaoru was left to figure out how to explain her rudeness. "Sorry, I just…"

"It's alright, Miss Kaoru. But it's better we go anyhow, that it is." Kenshin said, with a little smile – a tad forced, his manner all closed off. Clearly, he was just as uncomfortable as her.

_If I could hit myself and turn back time, I would! God, Kaoru you are an idiot! _She cursed herself, and nodded weakly; "Yeah…"

"That was one's bodyguard, Mr. Fujita. This one isn't sure what the problem is… but he kept signaling one to hurry."

"Oh…"

They only managed to get to the door, before figuring it out: the whole front of the restaurant was teeming with paparazzi, shouting: "Miss Kamiya! Mr. Himura! Are you dating? Was your relationship the reason why…"

And Kaoru couldn't help grumbling to him in a sotto voice; "Paper lanterns, eh?"

"Oro!"

* * *

><p><em>AN: I am a weak, weak fangirl. I kept trying to resist continuing the story to another drabble, but this idea is a persistent whole concept of this middle aged pop artist Kenshin madly in love with this fiery rock chick Kaoru is just too delicious.<em>


	7. CANON after series - Payback

**Prompt: **"The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief". - (Act I, Scene III of _Othello_).  
><strong>Fandom: <strong>Rurouni Kenshin  
><strong>Setting: <strong>Canon (after series)  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Kenshin Himura, Sanosuke Sagara  
><strong>Word count: <strong>1000

* * *

><p>"This is a bad idea, that it is." Kenshin noted once more, eyeing the busy streets of Yoshiwara and the teahouse looming ahead. The bright lights and merriment on the second floor could easily be spotted all the way across the street. "Remind this one, just why do we <em>have<em> to go in there?"

"I told ye – th' Basterd had weigh'd dice. That's th' only wae he could hav' robbed me dry. With yer predictions, it's a cake – easy shit. Plus, it's _payback_." Sano grinned and spat out his fish bone. "'sides, I need tha' money. I just got back hom' and I got no house."

Kenshin sighed and nodded grudgingly. After four years of traveling the world, his best friend was finally back in Japan and it really _was_ nice to see him after long last. _But do we really have to be here, the nightless city, of all places? Spending the evening drinking and gambling?_

_Again?_

"C'mon, Kenshin – for ol' time's sake." Sano grinned and slapped him on the back and stepped in.

Perhaps he shouldn't think about all the other things he could be doing this evening, especially now that the kids were thoroughly exhausted from roughhousing in the yard playing out Sano's wild stories… even Kenji would be sure to sleep through the night, and that meant some rare _privacy_. But given the situation, if Kenshin didn't want to have his very own freeloader messing around the house and giving a bad example to the kids around the clock, this unfortunately was the better option.

"Oro! The things this one does for his friends…"

However, right at the start it became apparent that this outing fell right into the category of _"never tell Kaoru, try to forget as soon as possible_." Not only was the party very loud and most of the gamblers drunk as skunks, many of them had, err, paid company. And after managing to get exactly five steps inside, the host set Sano's temper off with a taunt: "Ah, Sagara Sanosuke – came to lose again? Where did you scrape off enough for starting bets?"

And at Kenshin's side, Sano set his arm around his shoulders, easily enveloping his whole form and drawled challengingly: "Not yer business. I got the money, and that's wh' matters. Ar' ye afraid to lose, eh?"

"A friend?" The host frowned, and speculatively looked down at Kenshin, clearly drawing some mistaken conclusions at Sano's unconscious, almost too familiar gestures. "A _good_friend, ah, I see."

It all went downhill from there.

Well, at least the gambling was easy enough. It had been a while since Kenshin had predicted the dice, but it wasn't exactly a skill that could be forgotten or unlearned as it was based on simple trajectory calculation. But the problem was, for Kenshin, that their host _didn't_ have weighted dice nor did he seem a dishonest man. And in Kenshin's moral scale being obnoxiously annoying wasn't a reason enough to be robbed of his money in turn.

_Most likely, this whole circus was set off because Sano doesn't quit betting when he is sloshed,_ Kenshin frowned, his temper slowly starting to boil. Here he was, at a party he didn't even want to be in, doing something he didn't even agree with - and all this for absolutely no good reason! And worst of all, if he weren't here, he could be having quality time with his lovely wife.

_This really isn't alright, that isn't._

And at his side, Sano kept drinking and boasting, and winning every single bet he wished to, and kept poking his side, muttering; " Awwwh Kenshin, don't frown like tha'. Rememb'r, 'tis _payback._"

Seeing the gesture, the courtesan at their host's arm giggled – also concluding Sano's behavior to be something it wasn't. Kenshin sighed, well familiar with the assumption. But Sano had just always been a very physical man, and when he trusted and liked someone, well, he didn't think twice how others would see it.

Maybe it was the speculative looks, or the word _payback_… or just Kenshin's growing frustration, but suddenly the details connected and formed the most evil and mischievous plot since his teen years. And while it might be embarrassing, it didn't matter, because frankly Kenshin didn't _care_ what people thought of him anymore. After all, he had been dealing with people's mistaken assumptions all his life.

But Sano, he had always been very loud in his masculinity and appreciation of women._One could bet he hasn't had ever had to deal with an embarrassing situation of that nature, that's for sure. And since it is Sano, not this one, who has to deal with these people in the future… oh yes._

A slow smile rose to Kenshin's lips, and he frowned in thought. It had been years since he had seen such gestures, and paid attention to the details… but there were enough courtesans present to give a good reference point. _Ah, yes. It all starts with the wrist, doesn't it?_

Slightly slipping back his purple kimono sleeve, Kenshin tilted his right wrist enough to show off the soft, pale skin – before setting his hand to pat Sano's shoulder as he rattled off the next correct bet. Across from him, the courtesan raised her brow in surprise.

Kenshin smiled, and studied her – especially her pose - the way she sat demurely, her head tilted to show off her delicate neck.

_Hmm, this would have been easier with a long hair, that it would….but this one can do this._

And over the next hour Kenshin subtly managed to copy some of the mannerisms, to change his pose, and to arrange his hair to cover his scarred cheek… all the while Sano kept going on, never once noticing a thing. And after midnight as the party had run its course, the fiction had become a fact - and in the minds of Tokyo's gambling circuit, Sagara Sanosuke was a very bold man and unusually open about his _preferences_.

* * *

><p><em>AN: I wanted to have some variety, so I thought long and hard about doing something "slashy". So, this is what my brain came up with. ^^*<em>


	8. MAKE A WISH verse 3 - Can't stop

**Prompt: **"A woman knows when a man looks into her eyes and sees someone else." - The Notebook

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU, (MAKE A WISH verse, part 3. Continues "Paper Lanterns".)

**Characters:** Kenshin Himura, Megumi Takani

**Word count: **995

* * *

><p>As the last beats of the acoustic soundtrack died off, the only thing Kenshin could think was that his life was completely off the rails. Never in his career had he been forced to spend an entire day fine-tuning <em>one<em> song. For hours they had been trying anything and everything he and rest of his considerable team could think of, and still it just didn't sound _right_.

"It's like there is something missing, that it is." He muttered out loud and grimaced - his voice was getting rougher. Most likely they could attempt it only a couple more times before needing to quit and being pressed to reschedule this duet with the extremely busy Miss Takani, which of course would postpone the publishing of the record for_ weeks_.

"I agree, starting with your attention span, Sir Ken. The latest was quite an _unique_ rendition of the lyrics - I could have sworn that the original writing didn't mention _her beautiful blue eyes,_ nor_ fiery temper that raised the thrill in my soul._" Megumi noted dryly.

"Forgive this one, Miss Takani. It won't happen again, that it won't." Kenshin stammered, blushing furiously at the remark. However, she didn't appear to be angry – more like perplexed?

"Sir Ken, just what has gotten you so off your game? I have never seen you like this."

_Just what didn't? _Kenshin sighed. Ever since that duet with Miss Kamiya, where he had witnessed her spirit on the stage first hand – it was like something had been tugged loose in his heart and now _everything_ reminded him of her. He couldn't wear blue, he couldn't open the radio, couldn't even _cook_ without starting to think of her. And worst of all, since that date at the Akabeko and those fucking paparazzi – he couldn't even go meet her.

_That_ had been made absolutely clear by his manager and the record company. Though their rock-styled duet at the concert had been frowned upon, it would have passed without much ado. But apparently, "being connected to heavy metal and rock genres could have serious repercussion to the brand." And thus, being tied by the damn the contracts - if Kenshin didn't want to seriously consider freelancing, he would have to let this scandal die down on its own.

Truthfully, he would have walked out the meeting room the minute the demand was set for his perusal, if not for the fact that Miss Kamiya hadn't been answering any of his calls.

_Just what did this one do wrong?_ The lunch date had been going like a dream, the conversation had been so easy, so comfortable, they had even burst into - honest to god - _laughter_ and Kenshin couldn't even remember when he had felt so good, but then she -

"She truly got you into a mess, didn't she?"

"It isn't her fault, that it isn't!" Kenshin retorted out automatically.

"Hoo… so it _is_ about little Miss Kamiya Kaoru. I wasn't so sure, after that press conference where your manager denied the whole thing. So, were you two dating and she left you?" The foxy lady in front of him quizzed, a knowing grin rising to her lips. The very moment the chill of foreboding ran across Kenshin – even on the best day, Takani Megumi had a _wicked_ sense of humor, but if she was given any real ammunition…

"Oro, no. Nothing like that. It was just an accidental meeting on the street. We stopped for a chat and had lunch together, that we did. But where were we again?" Kenshin scrambled desperately, trying to gather himself.

"How to make this duet of ours to work," Megumi answered, going all professional on spot. "The beat works fine and I don't see an issue with my vocals. But there is something missing… I take you had some idea?"

Kenshin nodded, relief flooding into him. Allthough Miss Takani's tongue could lash anyone's ego into pieces, she truly was one of the best performers in the country; both beautiful and talented singer, with a diverse and deep vocal range.

"Yes, I think the background beat is a bit off, that it is. It could be somewhat more powerful – your vocals go very high in chorus and while this one can match you - the guitar riffs quite don't." Kenshin opinioned, suddenly realizing exactly what had been bothering him the whole evening - _it is the damn acoustic!_

Usually the pauses and marked silences worked like a charm in ballads, but this time the tempo was a bit too fast for it and the soundtrack ended up sounding lame…

"Wait a moment, if you please." Kenshin pleaded, and hurriedly left to the door. A few words to the sound mixer in the recording booth, a few understated demands to confirm to the disbelieving staff that he _really_ did want this, and then Kenshin was back, smiling: "Let's do this again."

Megumi scoffed, but nonetheless, slipped the headphones on. Kenshin did the same, clearing his voice a bit. And then the soundtrack started off again and this time there was a clear sound of _electric_ guitar added – it was just an effect, it would need to be replaced for the record later- but it was enough to give some spice, some real power to the track.

Eyes widening in sheer surprise, Megumi swallowed and then she visibly gathered herself and begun singing the soulful lyrics. Kenshin grinned, and matched her – trying desperately to keep up with her sheer range with his much abused and parched voice. Challengingly she narrowed her eyes, going even higher than usually – giving it her all.

_That's it – that's it exactly!_

And when they were done, Kenshin didn't need to say anything – they both knew that it was perfect. However, as they were bidding farewell, Miss Takani noted; "Sir Ken –that song will be a hit, but… adding that riff isn't exactly cutting ties with your Miss Rock Chick."

"So it isn't." Kenshin smiled.

* * *

><p><em>AN: I just can't stop writing this AU verse…. goddammit. <em>


	9. MAKE A WISH verse 4 - Storm

**Prompt: **Lifehouse - Storm

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU, (MAKE A WISH verse 4, continues "can't stop thinking about you")

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Yahiko Myojin

**Word count: **996

* * *

><p>Angry squeal of the electric guitar echoed through the walls and the sheer volume of the heavy metal riffs would have made anyone unused to such pitches to seriously consider entering. In the center of the horrid noise, Kaoru Kamiya ground her teeth and played the guitar even harder – as though torturing the instrument would channel out her frustration.<p>

Ever since she had received that visit from Himura Kenshin's manager and representative of his record company, these sorts of moods had been a regular occasion. Not that the sheer number of unanswered phone calls stacking up in her receiver helped the matter in any way.

_That damn bastard isn't making this easy for me… _Kaoru thought and angled her guitar better, ready for the incoming solo. Suddenly, the lights went out along with the music – leaving her standing there, dumbfounded in the ringing silence. _What the flying fuck? Did the fuse blow or something?_

"Yo, Ugly! Did that calm you down enough, or should I take a bucket of ice-water with me?"

_Oh, for fucks sake… _Kaoru ground her teeth, and exhaled – counting backwards from ten to keep from exploding. Then, calmly, she raised her voice and shouted: "Yahiko. Turn on the electricity or I won't be held responsible for my actions."

The only answer she got was laughter from behind the door, before the lights turned back on with a flicker.

"That boy…" Huffing, Kaoru brushed the loose strands of her hair behind her ear and put the guitar back to the rack – If Yahiko was going to such lengths to interrupt her, he had to have something important to discuss.

"…or not." She muttered in sotto voice, seeing her apprentice grinning like a lunatic in the doorway and holding up a CD.

"Don't tell me I don't care about you after this, Ugly!"

"Don't call me Ugly," Kaoru retorted automatically. _I thought I made it clear I didn't wish to see anyone… So why would I care about some other band's record? _Frowning, she glanced at her watch and her brow rose in surprise – "I have been holed up in here for five hours?"

"Yeeeah, sounds about right. You sure are turning into a hermit." Yahiko nodded, and glanced around their band room, noting the trash bags, leftovers lying around the table, empty soda and beer cans and other signs of bachelorette angst. Making a show of dusting off the chair, he sat down and tapped the mysterious CD against his thigh.

"Hmmph." Kaoru huffed, then shook her head and went to the fridge to fetch a pair of soda cans, tossing to the other for Yahiko. She settled on the couch across from him, and then off-handedly inquired; "So, what's that?"

"Something I thought you would like." Yahiko smiled roguishly – and Kaoru couldn't help noting how the young pickpocket she had taken in ten odd years ago was really growing up to be a handsome young man. At twenty, Yahiko Myojin was not only her closest confidante, but also her partner in crime, the bassist of Kamiya Kasshin.

Suddenly, with a mischievous glint in his eye, Yahiko lopped off the record to her direction and yelled; "catch!"

"Ugh," she grunted, barely managing to reach the CD in time. However, Kaoru almost wished she hadn't caught it, when she turned it around and saw the handsome redhead on the cover.

Just a mere glimpse and it felt like something was squeezing her heart – _oh god it still hurts._

In the picture Kenshin was smiling, looking right at the camera - back to back with a beautiful female artist. The jealousy that rose in Kaoru's soul was black and most unbecoming, and she swallowed in an attempt to gather herself. "Takani Megumi? Isn't that the former opera singer who set off as a freelancer after that scandal with Kanryuu?"

"Huh, I dunno. Don't really follow up what's going on with the pop front. But never mind that, just gimme the CD - ah, thanks. See if it says what number's for _Storm_." Yahiko prompted and rose to put on the CD to the player, while Kaoru fiddled half-heartedly with the casing. The backside had the track list, and there; "it's the last one, the fourteenth."

"Heh, the place of honor." Yahiko grinned at her, and Kaoru raised her brow in question. Then the music started and instantly shivers ran down her spine, and she gasped; "that's_electric_ guitar…"

_Impossible! It has to be some sort of ruse, because there is no way… _Kaoru thought in disbelief as the powerful female vocals started, but then, _he_ joined in – and instead of his usually soft and versatile tones, his voice was all rough and it sounded _sexy as hell_.

_What the flying fuck! _Kaoru's eyes were impossibly wide, and her pulse quickened – _but I thought…_

And suddenly Kaoru was reminded of the agony she had felt when those bastards in black suits had presented her the undeniable facts of how associating with her had affected Kenshin's image. Not only had his fans been outraged, his sales had taken a deep nose dive. And while it had been the hardest decision in her life, Kaoru had realized she couldn't be the one to wreck his career – _not for a silly one-sided crush._

Her heart thundering in her chest, Kaoru closed her eyes and inhaled. Then she resolutely opened up the CD case once more and there, on the inner page that she had overlooked at first, was a dedication:

_"I'd love laughing with you again, Miss Kaoru."_

Unable to help herself, Kaoru burst into hysterical laughter – tears running freely down her cheeks. She didn't even notice when Yahiko turned off the player and rushed to shake her shoulder and then gather her in an awkward hug – the tide of emotion was too much, way too much.

And when she finally could breathe freely again, she wiped her face with her sleeve and said: "I gotta make a call."


	10. CANON after series - Keeping secrects

**Prompt: **Keeping secrets

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Canon (after series)

**Characters:** Kaoru Himura, Kenshin Himura, Kenji Himura

**Word count: **992

* * *

><p><em>Should I tell him today? But it's so soon… and with Kenji's boundless energy keeping him busy and the school taking all my time, now really isn't the best time. Although it's not like we can help it, <em>Kaoru bit her lip in indecision, rubbing a slow circle on her stomach. She had been feeling slightly off for the last few weeks, but as it had been hard to pinpoint the feeling and she hadn't wanted to worry Kenshin for nothing… she had visited Doctor Gensai in private. _Which might have been a mistake. If I had been upfront from the beginning…_

_Mou!_

_Why am I hesitating?_

_It's Kenshin! He is going to be happy with the news, no matter what! All orororoo… _a smile rose to Kaoru's lips in remembrance of the last time, and she slowly nodded, coming to a resolution. _I should get this over and done with. Enough of this ridiculous dithering! It doesn't matter even if I blurt it out – I just have to be ready to catch him in time!_

Decision made, Kaoru finished changing into fresh clothes and headed off to look for her husband and son. Surprisingly, the kitchen was empty and dinner preparations weren't started yet. Instead, the pans and ingredients had been left haphazardly lying about. Kaoru frowned, usually Kenshin was very meticulous about keeping the house in order, but then again… anyone would have difficulties to balance chores with baby-sitting a particularly loud and mischievous toddler.

Lately, as he had learned how to walk – Kenji had developed a particularly vexing affinity for heights. If he wasn't watched closely, their dear son could be quickly found in death defying places, such as the roof or the backyard's maple's branches. And unfortunately, whenever Kenji didn't get his way, he wasn't shy about expressing it. No, the angry screaming interrupted Kaoru's teaching daily, and frankly it was quite embarrassing.

_But if not cooking, where could they be? Can't be at the market, not this late. Bath? But I was just there… so that leaves…_

And there they were, at the backyard, doing laundry. It wasn't the best weather for it – The sun hadn't shown itself the whole day and the wind was coming in strong. But at least the clothes would be dry soon, which was most likely Kenshin's reasoning for washing their bed sheet's today. He was busy hanging out the damp linens, the sleeves of his comfy old magenta kimono tied out of the way.

The old garment was so threadbare that Kaoru had given him an ultimatum – he could only wear it at home or it would end up as cleaning rags, by yours truly. So far the threat had worked like a charm.

And Kenji – he was busy digging something in the grass, with a leash tied around his waist connecting him to Kenshin's ankle. It had been Yahiko's idea, and as embarrassing as it was, it worked fairly well for limiting their son's thirst of exploration.

Watching the two of them from the shade of the terrace, Kaoru's heart flooded with warmth – _oh, they are wonderful, both of my handsome men._

_And soon… we will have another member to the family and we are going to be so happy._

Smiling, Kaoru stepped to the yard and walked to Kenshin, rudely interrupting his battle with the linens by slipping her arms around his waist and whispering to his ear; "I love you."

Kenshin shook his head and huffed, "As one does you, Kaoru – but a little help would be appreciated, that it would."

Giggling, Kaoru obliged and helped him to arrange the damp linen relatively straight on the rack. It wasn't exactly easy – the wind kept finding the folds and tugging them. After some wasted effort, Kaoru frowned; "Dearest, it isn't going to stay up there for long."

"So it isn't, but we are out of linens – Kenji wet the last one this morning."

"Huh – again? I swear that boy… I am almost tempted to have him back in diapers again." Kaoru snorted, glancing at their son – who was still lost in his own games. Oddly, Kenshin didn't react to her remark, but just adjusted the linen on the rack with a deep sigh – like he had heard it a thousand times. Watching his struggle, an idea suddenly struck Kaoru and she tugged loose her hair ribbon, "Hey, tie it with this – then at least it doesn't fly off."

"Oro…" Kenshin blurted, but then shook his head and smiled, "Thank you, Kaoru. Trust you to find a practical solution, that it is."

"You're welcome," Kaoru smiled and tried in vain to keep the wind from plastering her hair to her face. Then she took a deep breath, figuring that this was as good a chance as any to get the secret finally off her chest, and started; "Say, dearest…"

"WaaAAAAH!" Suddenly Kenji let out an angry, high pitched squeal, which could have burst the eardrums out anyone unfamiliar with such volumes. Sighing, they both turned to look at their son – and sure enough, Kenji had again figured out the range of the leash and was tugging at it ferociously.

"He gets that tenacity from you." Kaoru remarked, glancing him out of the corner of her eye.

"Perhaps," Kenshin smiled, and then with a mischievous glimmer in his violet eyes, he remarked; "But he definitely gets his lungs from you."

Letting loose a barking laugh, Kaoru nodded and asked lightly; "Say, what would you think of another hellion in about eight months' time?"

"Oro?"

"Surprise. I'm pregnant."

_"…ororororororoo…" _His eyes were impossibly wide from sheer shock, and then predictably, rolled up as he lost consciousness – and her dearest husband, the legendary swordsman of the revolution, fell like a log into her waiting arms. Kaoru caught him with a hearty laugh and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "I love you, you silly husband of mine. Now and always."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Felt like writing fluff - ended up with fluffy super fluff. <em>


	11. ISO VR verse 1 - First shots

**Prompt: **Chat Room

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU (inspired by Matrix and Psycho pass) (ISO VR-verse, part 1)

**Characters:** Kamiya Kaoru, Niitsu Kakunoshin

**Word count: **975

* * *

><p>"…just who is Takamori Shintarou?" Kaoru asked aloud, then sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead. All this staring at the screen and trying to make any sense out of the decades old scanned newspapers made her head ache. It really didn't help that the quality of the scans was often quite poor and there appeared to be no logic to the articles – couple were about an old Nagasaki Supreme Court's decision, some reported of a grisly mass murder in an orphanage, and quite a few discussed the legislative changes regarding Prison Isolation Virtual Reality System – or just ISO VR for short. Just why had her father collected all these?<p>

And more importantly… _were these connected to his sudden death?_

There was a chance they could be, for Kaoru had logged in to the police's intraWEB server using her father's password and downloaded all his saved files, and this mess of articles and reports spanning for two decades had been in one of the highly classified folders. But even that knowledge was a cold comfort if she couldn't figure out a common denominator of some sort –

"A blackened name? Isn't that an overkill in a classified report? Don't tell me… oh, for fuck's sake. Again, Takamori Shintarou? What is so secret about one dude's name?" Kaoru bit her lip, breaking the latest of the old-fashioned encryption. Then, on a whim, she clicked open her web browser, not bothering to close all the tabs before running a basic search for the name.

"Social media profiles, nothing, nothing, blah, blah, pile of shit and nothing. This is getting me nowhere!" She burst out and leaned back, groaning deeply.

Suddenly, the computer beeped - the instant messenger alerted about a received message.

"Huh…? What in the hell, how could they…" But even after rubbing her eyes, and a few sudden calming breaths, there it still was - an invitation to a private chat room with the message:

_Niitsu: Dead men don't continue their research._

Biting her lip anxiously, Kaoru frowned and rubbed her arms to ward off the sudden chill. The she slowly pressed **enter** and typed:

_Tanuki:_ _How did you find me?_

_Niitsu: Let's say I keep an eye out for certain things. So, why are you looking into Takamori Shintarou's case?_

"What on earth?" Kaoru muttered out loud. And although she knew this was a bad idea, she _didn't_ switch off her laptop and hightail out of the internet café, but instead retorted:

_Tanuki: Why was that name important to Police Inspector Kamiya? Did it have anything to do with his death?_

The message remained unanswered for 10 seconds, then half a minute more. And for a moment Kaoru was sure that she had blown it, that she had scared away her best lead and - _fucking fuckity fuck!_

_Niitsu: Things are starting to clear up. You are Koshijirou's daughter, are you not?_

Kaoru inhaled and leaned backwards, her pulse quickening – how could this person know? Where had she strayed off? Her firewalls were secure and she had been so careful…

But then again, this was the only solid lead she had and even if it meant giving up her compromised anonymity, what did it matter? Gritting her teeth, she typed in Yes. and hit the send button forcefully.

_Niitsu: Kamiya Koshijirou was looking into an old case of a considerable importance. If he had managed to back his suspicions with some concrete evidence… let's just say that heads would roll. _

_Tanuki: How can that be? Some of those files were over 20 years old! _

_Niitsu: What do you know of ISO VR?_

_Tanuki: …How is that connected to this in any way?_

_Niitsu: In **every** way. _

Kaoru frowned; all she really knew about ISOlative Virtual Reality was rudimentary, common knowledge and in truth she preferred not to think too much about it. While it had done plenty of good, she still found the extreme pragmatism of the system hair-rising.

ISO VR had replaced the expensive prisons of old – today all the criminals were sentenced to it. The finely tuned, highly efficient system was also the reason why the crime rates had lowered over 90% during the last decades.

Nowadays, the only threat a law-abiding citizen could have was some nutcase snapping and committing their first and only crime. But even that was going to change, if the Prime Minister's upcoming law reform would win the majority vote in the senate… _But dad found out something that could affect the whole system?_

_Tanuki: This is really big, isn't it._

_Niitsu: For them, in order to keep this secret… your father's life was a small price to pay._

Kaoru swallowed, but typed:

_Tanuki: Tell me._

Niitsu send her a file and Kaoru rubbed her fingers together while waiting for it to download and then, extracted the package – realizing that it was a prisoner's file in the Toba Fushimi ISO VR facility.

_Oh, finally a jack pot, _Kaoru smiled grimly and opened it. In seconds she blanched in shock, gasping as the pieces finally clicked together; "Oh gods… that's so sick."

In the picture was a child, shaved bald and dressed in the orange prisoners' garb, his violet eyes red from crying – and he couldn't be more than seven years old. On his temple was the tattooed identity code and the bandages wrapped around his neck were partially bloodied – most likely from the installation surgery of the VR connectors.

_Takamori Shintarou… is a murderer of no equal, quite possibly a madman. He is also the cornerstone of our current society, the precedent in the Supreme Court for allowing **any**criminal to be sentenced into ISO VR. Even the Prime Minister Shishio's recently proposed mandatory Psych Evaluation program relies on his case. But before any of that… my son was **innocent**._

* * *

><p><em>AN: Introducing one of my Scifi AU concepts. Either I will start tackling it here, right now, in this drabble format or at some point (in very the distant future) I will write it into a proper fic.<em>

_I love this idea!_


	12. ISO VR verse 2 - All Downhill From There

**Prompt: **All Downhill From There

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU, continues "First shots". (ISO VR-verse, part 2)

**Characters:** Kamiya Kaoru, Niitsu Kakunoshin

**Word count: **1000

* * *

><p>"…and just a couple months ago I was just a normal high school senior." Kaoru muttered and climbed over a certain well-to-do family's backyard fence. B&amp;E was bad enough, but doing it for the sole purpose of copying ancient autopsy reports from Tokyo Metropolitan Police Chief's private computer?<p>

It was way over the top, especially as Uramura was her father's old friend. Needless to say, it was also_ very much illegal - _and her best chance for finding answers regarding Takamori Shintarou's conviction, case that her father had found shady and been highly suspicious of, and even her new…

_Ugh_, it would be extremely misleading to say that Niitsu was her friend.

After weeks of random chat room conversations and webcalls, Kaoru had pegged the man as arrogant, ruthless and a total _Bastard - _with a capital B. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny that her mysterious benefactor knew what he was talking about. And if Niitsu thought that the biggest case in the history of ISO VR was founded on lies, he had to have _a reason._

…one far more substantial than just believing the best of his son. Niitsu just wasn't the sort of a man to partake in sentimental stupidity, but then again… _why did he let that detail slip in the first place? _Kaoru frowned, jogging through the early morning dew towards the underground station. No one knew little Shinta's father – even his birth certificate had left it blank.

_Admitting such a fact to me, out of the blue… just what is Niitsu's angle in this mess? _Kaoru bit her lip anxiously. Ever since coming into contact with Niitsu, her life as an ordinary, law-abiding youth had gone down the drain.

Sure she had known the basics of coding and slipping through firewalls… but that was only natural. After her mother's death, seven odd years ago, her father hadn't hired a baby-sitter. Instead he had started to do most of his research at home and Kaoru had curiously watched him, picking up a few tricks here and there.

Even so, Kaoru believed in upholding the law… well, had_._

_No, I still do._

_But it's just… _and suddenly Kaoru clenched the memory card in her fist, "Goddamn son of a bitch!" The pieces connected like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leading to a realization. If she were caught, she'd have no way of explaining her actions. And while Kaoru was invested in solving her father's final case and finding out the truth about his murder… _I am not going to be the stalking horse for anyone!_

Gnawing her lip, she glanced around and saw an old phone booth, just next to the station. Without stopping to hesitate, she marched in and dialed the number Niitsu had given her for emergencies.

"Yes?" He answered. And Kaoru ground out angrily: "I got it. But this time… you have to show your face to get it."

For about thirty seconds, she could only hear steady breathing, before Niitsu uttered: "Very well. Turn around."

_What in the hell?_ Kaoru gaped, glancing behind her. _There's no one…_ but suddenly, a tall man in black walked around the corner.

"…what an utter Bastard, indeed," Kaoru muttered, shaking her head and heading over to him. Niitsu was _very_ tall, at least 6"3', and for whatever reason – he was wearing sunglasses. An odd fashion statement in the early April morning haze, just like the turtleneck he wore under his expensive designer suit.

Before Kaoru could say anything scathing in greeting, Niitsu nodded into the direction of the park and said: "Let's talk there. Less cameras."

A shiver raced down her spine at the mention of the risk, but Kaoru followed him – feeling more and more like she was caught in an old spy film. The park was small, just a spot of greenery in the urban scene. Near the side-walk was a bench and Niitsu settled on it with a deep sigh, before remarking calmly; "I don't blame you for doubting me, girl. Honestly, I am only surprised it took you this long."

"It's not that I doubt you, I just…" Kaoru stammered, gingerly joined him and pulled out the memory card from her pocket. "I just felt like this arrangement was too one-sided, that's all."

"Hand me that," Niitsu rumbled and wordlessly Kaoru passed the card to him. He pulled out a tablet computer, inserted the card and leafed through the mess of old autopsy reports on the screen with a notable ease. Then he stopped on a picture of a young woman – her throat slashed open.

"During Shintarou's hearing, all three analysts confirmed that the perpetrator was a child. The details matched; the angle of the knife slashes, the depth of the wounds…. even the way everyone was silently killed in their sleep. You see, Shintarou witnessed his mother's violent death only a month earlier and the trauma rendered him mute." Niitsu remarked coldly, and then tapped the picture thoughtfully. "But this woman, Kasumi, she was Shintarou's nurse. Could a first-timer, a terribly shy child no less, manage that cut without any signs of hesitation?"

Kaoru bit her lip, "That's…"

"There is more." Niitsu sped through his files before pulling out another newspaper article -**Police helpless – no leads to the Seta murder?**

"This unsolved case happened a year before Shintarou's. A family murdered, their throats slashed open. However, their 8 year old nephew wasn't among the victims, having run away from home a few weeks earlier. Frankly, I wouldn't care, if the Prime Minister Shishio's primary bodyguard weren't be the same Seta Soujirou. I looked him up - instead of drifting into civil care, he grew up in a prestigious boarding school, his tuition funded by a private benefactor."

"So you're saying…?"

"I'm not, not _yet_. But I remember Shishio Makoto's first election into Senate 22 years ago, and his famous words: "The weak perish, while the strong survive. Our society cannot become strong as long as the criminals are holding us back."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Ah, I love Kaoru's and Hiko's dynamic.<em>


	13. ISO VR verse 3 - Notbroken

**Prompt: **Notbroken - Goo Goo Dolls

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU, continues "All Downhill From There". (ISO VR-verse, part 3)

**Characters:** Hiko Seijuurou the 13th, Okubo Toshimichi_ (Ruroken)_

**Word count: **996

* * *

><p>"…this report of yours is extremely worrisome, Dr. Seijuurou. To think that there is such a downward trend in the prisoner's life expectancy in ISO VR… Less than eight years. That's far less than I had assumed." The Minister of Home Affairs, Okubo Toshimichi uttered, staring at the screen of his tablet computer.<p>

Hiko scoffed and shook his head, "That data is only compiled in the last ten years. If I had included the Great Purge, the numbers would be alarming."

"I see… and you say this is because of the recent law reforms?" The minister asked, turning to look at him.

"Yes, it can be nothing else. Look, the estimated lifespan of a person connected to standard life support, fed the normal receptivity amplifiers and amnesia inducers required for ISO VR should be about 80 years. However, that is an impossible inventory cycle for the structure to be cost-efficient. Thus the system was set up as a shared dream and there was no attempt to restrict the prisoners' infighting."

"Yes, that is the reality. Even in the best case scenario, our country simply couldn't afford to host every dreaming inmate for decades."

"True," Hiko admitted. However, the Minister's impersonal words grated against his nerve. Clenching his hand into a fist so tight that his knuckles cracked, he couldn't help adding; "But consider that ISO VR was founded on the dreams of those imprisoned for life. It was the subconscious of our worst and most insane minds that gave birth to that world. Now, every single petty criminal is plunged into that _same_ dream."

Across from them, the Tokyo Metropolitan's police's Chief Uramura tensed. However, the Minister didn't even bat an eye, but only nodded thoughtfully; "I see, Shishio's proposal would definitely worsen the situation."

_Stay calm, remember that Okubo was a glorified accountant for most of his early career. Keep it about the numbers, _Hiko forced himself to relax with a notable effort, before remarking; "Even the most conservative estimates give a 12% increase in inmates – 2,6 million new prisoners. Surely you can see why it's imperative that Shishio's Mandatory Psych Evaluation won't succeed?"

"Yes, however we might need something far more persuasive to sway the majority vote. I shall have to think this matter through. Can I count on your assistance in the future?"

"Within reason. However, I am a neutral party – all our interactions must remain confidential."

"Hmm, I see." The Minister nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then, feigning idle curiosity, he asked; "Speaking on a purely theoretical level… how true is the claim that a person cannot survive the extraction with their mind intact?

Instantly, Hiko become wary, _just how badly outmaneuvered Shishio has him?_ After careful consideration, he slowly remarked; "It depends on multiple factors; preparation, drugs, type of connectors… but the most critical is the prisoner's level of dissonance from their perceived reality. In the best case scenario, there _is_ a slight chance of surviving the extraction."

"Hmmm… I see. And if the case was twenty years old…?"

_He can't be suggesting…_

"Absolutely impossible!" Hiko ground out, and in hopes of killing the reckless idea at its root, added; "The connectors at that time were inserted manually into the nervous system and breaking the link fast enough is nearly impossible."

"But not wholly so," Okubo noted with a pointed look and suddenly the high turtleneck of Hiko's shirt felt constricting. Resisting the temptation to rub his neck, Hiko snapped a tense answer: "You dare to bring that up? Even though you well know I know what I'm talking about? This conversation is over."

"I apologize." The Minister said mildly and signaled to his driver to stop the car. Soon, they stopped to the side of the street and Hiko climbed out. But as he was closing the door, the Minister added; "One more thing – my friend Uramura's house was broken into last week. Nothing was stolen, but his personal computer was tampered with. Shishio's men wouldn't have left evidence, which suggests that there is another player in the game."

_Shit! They are tracking Kamiya already? I still need her!_

"That has nothing to do with me." Hiko grunted and slammed the door shut. Feeling like he had been in a fight with million snakes, he exhaled and watched as the unassuming black car in diplomat plates' sped away, melding easily into Kyoto's lunch hour rush.

_Damn politicians, opportunistic beast the lot of them. But hopefully that was enough to sow the seeds of dissent… which is all I can do to stop Shishio's madness._

Frowning, Hiko glanced at his watch and noticed that his lunch hour was nearly over. Swallowing an expletive, he hailed a cab and made his way back to work to the Toba Fushimi ISO VR facility. At the entrance, the new Head of Security Usui paid a bit too much attention to his comings and goings once again: "Off to city for a mere lunch?"

"The cafeteria here has nothing decent to offer." Hiko quipped arrogantly, flashing his top level security pass to the identifier. Then, he had his palm prints read and retinas scanned, confirming his identity as Hiko Seijuurou the 13th, the Head of ISO VR R&D division – and marched off to the elevators without looking back, his long white overcoat billowing behind him.

Finally in his private office, Hiko sat down at his desk and allowed himself the luxury of rubbing the old mess of connector scars – fifteen long years hadn't been enough to stop them from hurting. On his screen, one subject's brain activity spiked and Hiko frowned; "We are running out of time, Kenshin. The game is becoming dangerous - but I can't stop now, not before I find out the truth."

_Because If Koshijirou's wild-assed guesses are true, and you were innocent_…

_Then it wasn't your inherent madness, but my failure as a teacher that pushed you to become the greatest murderer of the Great Purge - the Hitokiri Battousai._

* * *

><p><em>AN: And I took my second penalty in this drabble challenge because this story is so damn complicated. *Sigh* It took me two whole days to condense my thoughts to this.<em>


	14. Modern AU - I can't do this

**Prompt: **picture

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count: **1000

* * *

><p>"I can't do this!" Kaoru huffed, severely annoyed – and glared at the tiny laptop screen in front of her, displaying the image of a beautiful starlit sky and a person standing in a lake. "I have nothing, not a single tangible idea where to start writing this essay!"<p>

"Surely the assignment cannot be that difficult, Miss Kaoru? Wasn't it just last week that you had several plot twists planned beforehand, that you did?"

Kaoru glanced up from her spot on the futon, and saw Kenshin looking worriedly at her – and instantly a small smile rose to her lips and her ire lessened. How could she stay angry at the computer, Kenshin's old and abused laptop no less, when faced with such blatant concern?

_And in such a cute package, too! _The traitorous little devil that was her libido whispered._Oh, put a lid on it! He isn't interested in me like that. Not while I'm still underage…_

_…but my birthday isn't that far off._

_But even if I were already eighteen, what would I have that he could be interested in anyway?_

"…Miss Kaoru?"

_Erk! Focus, Kaoru!_ "…sorry, what where you saying?" Stomping firmly on her errant thoughts, Kaoru wrangled her focus to the present and the dangerously cute redhead whisking something in the tiny studio apartment's kitchenette. Kenshin was again wearing that ridiculous magenta t-shirt and white sweatpants while cooking. It was unfair how good it looked; shouldn't the combination be off-putting – especially on a 28 year old man?

Kenshin glanced over his shoulder again, and smiled. "Oro! Ah, this one was suggesting that you would take a small break in your writing efforts and see if a better idea will come to you later, that one did."

"If I had the time, I would! But the whole point of this exercise was to give us only this evening to write that thousand-word paper!" Kaoru declared and let herself fall to her back on the futon and rubbed her eyes. "Urg… and to think I was waiting for a chance to write an essay on free topic! I should have known that there was a trick to this assignment from the way Mr. Saito kept smirking!"

"Oh… but maybe if you were to just take one idea and start writing? This one is confident that anything you write will be perfectly fine, that it is." Kenshin suggested and smiled a bit.

"I'm not…" Kaoru stammered, remembering all the reasons why his unfailing trust meant the world to her. Because the fact was, Kaoru had been on the verge of being forced to repeat her whole semester just few months ago after her mother's death. She had been thrust into new country, transferred to a new school where the main teaching language was English – not Japanese – and suddenly everything had become impossible. Not to mention the issues at home with her father and his new family, especially that annoying Yahiko, who just wouldn't shut up…

If not for this unlikely friendship with Kenshin, Kaoru wasn't sure she even _could_ have made it through these ridiculous tests that all affected the grade significantly. Sighing deeply, she thought over the assignment once more.

It wasn't that she didn't have plots or characters, but she had trouble keeping it realistic - having lived all her life in Tokyo, Kaoru had never seen the starlight sky, not without the light pollution obstructing the view. Maybe that was the reason why all her mind could manage was this really childish and fantasy-esque stuff that she knew her strict and sensible teacher, Mr. Saito wouldn't value at _all._

"…Kenshin, did you ever see such a clear sky? Back _there,_ I mean."

The sudden silence that landed on them was so thorough that she could have easily heard the pin drop as all noises from Kenshin's cooking were abruptly cut off. And Kaoru - hand over her mouth, and eyes wide with horror - stared at him.

_I just mentioned Iraq to Kenshin… oh god, oh god, oh god._

The change in her dear friend was like seeing someone dying in front of your very eyes. It was like he had aged a decade in seconds, and the horrid slashes on his cheek stood out in deep relief. But the most significant change was to his eyes – the pale violet, usually so gentle and soft, became clouded and it was impossible to know what he was seeing. "…I did. Once. Before the attack in Karbala."

Kaoru swallowed and climbed to her feet awkwardly, trying to keep her movements steady and slow. She had seen Kenshin having flashbacks, and thought this didn't seem exactly like that, it never hurt to be careful. He would never forgive himself if he did anything to her in throes of a memory…

"…Kenshin, it's over. It was over and done with years ago…" Kaoru blundered on, in search of something useful to say, suddenly remembering how last time it had helped to remind him of the present; "We are safe here in your apartment. You are just a normal man with a job at the supermarket, there is no violence whatsoever… you are my friend, my only friend and I would never want to cause you any harm, and, and, and -"

Suddenly he blinked, shuddered deeply – leaning backward against the counter for balance. And Kaoru couldn't help the tears gathering in her eyes, "Kenshin, I, I –"

"…Miss Ka -" He stammered, looking up at her like a forlorn child, seeking something to ground him to reality. Without any hesitation, Kaoru rushed to him and hugged him with all her strength. "Kenshin, Kenshin, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…."

And he swept his arms around her and petted her hair, softly, gently – always so gently. Up and down his hand stroked, and finally after an eternity he said, "Kaoru… Thank you for bringing me back. I… this one might be broken, but your voice will always bring one back. Always."


	15. STRIPPER verse 2 - Loophole

**Prompt: **Loophole

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU, continues "Pandora's Box".

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura, Sanosuke Sagara, Megumi Takani

**Word count: **985

* * *

><p>"Everyone, meet Miss Megumi Takani."<p>

_How can anyone have legs like that? _Was the first thought rising to Kaoru's mind when coming face to face with Kenshin's "_friend_".

_…oh for fucks sake, this is unfair. _Not only was this Megumi beautiful, she was also super-model tall and her generous _headlights_ would catch any man's attention…

"Well, hello there!" Sano leered. And instantly Kaoru elbowed her childhood friend to the ribs; "don't be rude!"

"Oh I don't mind, not from sir Ken's friends." Megumi winked. And with a foxy smile on her red lips, she invited them in; "Welcome to my humble home."

_Sir Ken?_

_…sure, just a friend. _Kaoru glowered, but followed the trio of dancers into the apartment. It was a nicely decorated modern condo; dark furniture contrasted tastefully with light carpets, curtains and patterned sofa pillows. Actually, it was the sort of a place Kaoru herself wouldn't have minded having, well, except for the definitely odd pole in the middle of the living room, bolted tightly to the floor and the ceiling both. _What the hell?_

Some hours later the mystery wasn't any closer to being solved. Kaoru had settled to the couch and Kenshin was sitting next to her, and they were entertained by their own, class A comedy act - namely Megumi teaching Sano dance steps. Not only was Sano totally clueless when it came to rhythm, he was obviously very attracted to Megumi – but kept saying _all_ the wrong things.

"…swaying the hips is basics! Surely even a rooster-head knows how!"

"I ain't no rooster head! But come on, how about we take a break? We have been at this for hours! Besides… you could show us what you can do on that pole."

"Dream on." Megumi scoffed in disdain, but then tapped her chin thoughtfully; "But, hmm… it wouldn't be a bad idea for _you_ to try it. There's nothing quite like pole-dancing to get in the flow."

"What! No chance in hell! Only sluts do that!"

"…is that so?"

Kaoru winced at the frosty tone, and even Kenshin tensed up next to her.

"So am I a slut as well? After all, I was a professional pole-dancer."

"What..? You were? But I thought…"

"I don't care what you thought."

"Sano." Uttered a soft voice, and suddenly everyone stopped to stare at Kenshin, "You should apologize to Miss Megumi, that you should. Also, out of all forms of dance, the pole-dancing is actually one of the most physically demanding and also remarkably challenging."

"Ken-man…"

"Idiot Rooster, just who you think got me into pole-dancing?" Megumi flipped her hair proudly, "Only Sir Ken's invaluable teaching and contacts gave me the chance to follow my dreams and fund my doctor's studies."

"Eh…?" Kaoru gasped, and turned to stare at the red-haired man beside her like he had grown a second head, "_you_ pole-dance?"

"Oro…." Kenshin blushed all the way down his neck, before stammering; "Errr, this one learned the basics few years ago for one of his previous shows, that he did."

"That must have been quite a sight…" Kaoru couldn't help uttering, a heat rising in her core at the thought. Who could blame her? Kenshin _was_ a good looking guy – but totally not her type.

_If only he wasn't a professional stripper…_

"Sir Ken – how about you show this idiot how it's done? It's been a while since I I have seen a good performance." Megumi suggested, her eyes roving Kenshin's body in appreciation.

Instantly a shudder ran through Kaoru, and her temper flickered – _grrrrr, you damn vixen, keep off!_ But before her black thoughts could wander further, Kenshin glanced at her and smiled. Then, nodding slowly, he rose to stand and chirped; "might as well. Miss Megumi, do you have any tight shorts to lend? My jeans aren't very suitable for this, that they aren't."

"Ohohohohohooo, of course. Misao left a pair of her spandex shorts the last time she visited. Those should fit you fine enough."

And in moments, Sano and Kaoru were left gaping in the living room.

"…what kind of a man borrows girl's shorts for dancing?" Sano blurted in disbelief.

Kaoru didn't get to answer, before a snide reply cut in: "A professional, who is a fairly small man." Megumi sneered at Sano from the doorway; "Now be quiet, Rooster-head and go get me something to drink. The kitchen is that way."

Then, the intimidating dancer frowned and walked closer, staring at Kaoru like she was something both unpleasant and mystical – like an alien covered in tentacles. "Girl… what kind of a loophole did you find?"

"Sorry?"

"That thing you have done to Sir Ken - I have never seen him like this. All smiles, constant glances, so eager to please – he seems absolutely smitten…" Megumi trailed off, mystified. "It's bizarre! This is _Kenshin_ we are talking about: the legendary asexual stripper."

"Huh, he is -?"

"Nobody knows." Megumi scoffed, "but in these five years I have known him, he has never accepted a single invitation - off-stage, I mean. You don't even know how badly men and women keep trying! But then you show up out of nowhere and suddenly he is putty. So, what did you do?"

"I…" Kaoru started weakly, but out a of sudden Sano's exclaimed loudly; "Holy shit Ken-man – what did you do to your hair?"

_Oh, that's hot… _Kenshin was wearing knee-length black shorts, simple white tee-shirt – but unlike ever before, his long red mane was done in a tight bun.

"Long hair is a bit impractical for this, that it is." Kenshin blushed, then took a good hold of the pole. "Let's see if this one isn't terribly rusty…"

And then he climbed barefoot up the pole, changed his hold and swung –

"Well _damn!_" Sano whistled in amazement and Kaoru couldn't help nodding dumbly.

_That man is so unfair, it's like he was created to tempt my libido… _

* * *

><p><em>AN: This drabble was inspired by two entirely unconnected things. A) Anniilaugh mentioned that she liked my first Stripper!Kenshin drabble. B) My fiance Toni misheard something I said and after our debate, I ended up entertaining crack!ideas - and if there is anything more crack! than stripper!Kenshin, it would be pole-dancing stripper!Kenshin.<em>

_Also, you should know that male pole-dancers are hottest things ever, like for example, Timber Brown.  
><em>

_(And now that we mention it, my inspiration for Kenshin's shadow dance / mime show is Kenichi Ebina.)_


	16. ISO VR verse 4 - Warning signs

**Prompt: **"Um, excuse me, but I think that's mine."

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU, continues "Notbroken". (ISO VR-verse, part 4)

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Soujirou Seta, Tae Sekihara, Kihei Hiruma

**Word count: **998

* * *

><p>"Turn around, just a bit…" Kaoru muttered, and snapped another picture with her camera. It was an old device, but what made it invaluable was the lens – it allowed her to zoom across the large hall hosting the Senate's public session with ease.<p>

Her high school class was there visiting, and to Kaoru's luck, the Prime Minister was in attendance, which gave her a perfect chance to catch the current subject of her frustration on film. After all, the politicians' bodyguards and assistants waited on the sidelines, and like a wolf among lambs, in their midst stood also Shishio's primary bodyguard - Seta Soujiro.

He was leaning against the wall, frowning – and surrounded by all those suits he melded into the crowd. Spotting him was made even harder by his unremarkable features; medium height, short brown hair, in his late twenties.

_No wonder finding any leads is nearly impossible, _Kaoru frowned and recalled her efforts to track down his movements from 20 years ago. After a series of miserable failures, she had moved to digging up whatever dirt she could find, going as far as to hunt down his old class mates and interviewing them. Surprisingly, many of them had recalled Mr. Seta – but none were willing to say anything substantial.

_…why didn't Niitsu hint this to me earlier? I could have easily checked if there were any files about Seta back at Uramura's_

_Mou!_

_But maybe… I could try again? _Kaoru bit her lip in hesitation. No, it was way too risky - even if the Police Chief seemed to be in the know of everything. Her father had always joked, "Uramura is a quiet man, always listening – people underestimate him easily, and that's the last mistake they'll make. He writes down _everything_. I wouldn't admit to any mischief in his precense, Kaoru-kun."

In the hall, the speaker droned on: "…our criminal legislation might be considered very strict, but it is indisputable that it has given unequalled prosperity to our country. Replacing the old prisons with ISO VR gave us a chance to invest in our future - by diverting the leftover funds to education and healthcare, we are now reaping the benefits. In these last two decades, our main economic indicators have increased tenfold and according to the latest worldwide reports the quality of our living is unparalleled. But can we do more for the betterment of our country? On this topic, I invite the Prime Minister Shishio to exchange his ideas." The polite clapping started, and Kaoru leaned forward – utterly focused.

Shishio stood at the court and bowed, and then walked up to the podium. He was a tall man, dressed well, but there was something off about his face. It was hard to pinpoint why, but some of his features didn't feel quite authentic. Rude gossip in the internet had claimed that Shishio had been in an accident as a younger man and had gone through intensive plastic surgeries. Now, seeing him in person for the first time, Kaoru believed the claim.

"Excuse me, but I think you have something of mine." A soft voice uttered behind her, and Kaoru turned around, coming face to face with – _oh, god._

"You look like you had seen a ghost." Seta Soujiro remarked with an utterly hollow smile on his lips, and shivers of panic raced through Kaoru. "No reason to look so alarmed, Miss Kamiya."

"…you -" Kaoru started, feeling like she was about to faint. _He knows my name? Oh god, oh god, what else he knows?_

"Please, I mean you no offense. However, I would like you to hand over those pictures you took, along with any material you may have managed to gather regarding my personal history. Events of twenty years ago would be better left forgotten, yes?"

"…I, I … yes, of course. Here, take them." Kaoru stammered and clumsily tore the memory card out of her camera, and dug out a file from her bag. Then, unceremoniously, she thrust them to his hands, barely managing to rein in her shaking.

"Thank you. I hope we shall not meet again, Miss Kamiya." The cold-blooded killer finished with a brief bow, and turned around – walking away, like nothing could threaten him.

_So this is what a mouse feels like when the cat doesn't kill it after playing… _Kaoru thought faintly, her pulse racing a hundred miles an hour.

"Kaoru, who was that handsome guy?" Suddenly her friend Tae burst out, before asking more seriously, "Please tell me you haven't left anything out, after all, friends should tell these things to each other."

"…tell what…?"

"Was that your boyfriend? I didn't see him properly but he seemed quite young. He is a politician's assistant, I suppose?"

About to break into hysteria, Kaoru wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep her nerves together. She closed her eyes, and inhaled… and then Tae's arms were around her, and her friend was hugging her tightly, whispering; "Oh Kaoru, what's wrong honey? I'm sorry, if it was anything I said…"

Hiccupping, Kaoru shook her head and tried to control the waves of panic. After a good while, she finally managed a blatant lie; "He was no one important. He just told me not to take pictures here. I suppose I missed the sign somewhere."

"Kamiya, wandering on your own again? Please join the group - we are here for a reason!" their Social studies teacher, Mr. Hiruma, interrupted them. Before Kaoru could manage an apology, the man turned and added; "Perhaps a note to your guardian would help your attendance record? Oh, forgive me – I forgot your situation."

It was like someone had dropped an anvil on her heart – for a minute, Kaoru could only gape as he walked away. Then Tae hissed under her breath; "_That pig_. I don't care if he had a grudge against your dad. But taking it out on you - he will have to go through me first!"


	17. ISO VR verse 5 - Human nature

**Prompt: **Human Nature

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU, continues "Warning signs". (ISO VR-verse, part 5)

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Yahiko Myojin

**Word count: **971

* * *

><p>"Dad, you always said a good swordsman must evaluate their opponent's strength in relation to their own." Kaoru whispered, leaning against the railing of a bridge. The wind played with her hair, but even the fresh air didn't stop the feeling of a noose tightening around her neck. "I… I don't think I can do this. I'm so much over my head that it isn't even funny, and -"<p>

Kaoru hiccupped, and closed her eyes. It felt like she was betraying her father's memory, by voicing these thoughts. But she had to explain them somehow, somewhere where his memory wasn't so close. Back at home, in his study, or in the training room… it hurt too much. But here, in this nameless place, watching the murky water flow, she could distance herself enough to think all this through.

Still, no matter how she kept turning it all in her head, she kept coming back to the same realization; "I'm just not good enough. I tried following every lead I could, and found nothing tangible. And they, they found me easily - just like they killed you. And that Seta, he is _terrifying_. His eyes were so empty… How can there be such a man, in this day and age?"

She gripped tightly the file, which held all her notes and memory cards regarding her investigation. Swallowing, she steeled her nerves and opened it once more to face the little boy, who couldn't have committed the crime he had been sentenced for.

_And I used to think that I'm brave. That I would always stand up, even after taking a bad fall. But_…

"I'm so sorry Shinta, I can't help you." Kaoru whispered, snapping the file closed. However, before she could to let go, something hit her back with a force. "UuuuugHHH!"

The impact pushed the air out of her lungs and all her research fell over the railing. _No, no…_ Kaoru gasped, spun around, starting to shout: "Hey, you…"

However, the target of her ire wasn't there anymore… _goddamn son of a bitch!_

"HEY! THAT'S MY CAMERA!"

The thief didn't even deign to slow down, they kept sprinting through the streets, dodging the early afternoon crowd. And Kaoru didn't have any choice but to chase after him like a hunting dog, because – _that's my dad's camera!_

"Sorry, sorry – let me pass – thanks!" She cried, all the while pushing through the crowd, seeking out the thief…_ aha!_ There he was, turning to a side street… _But no matter how agile he is in a crowd, I'm faster at sprint_ – Kaoru gritted her teeth and _ran._

True to her estimate, she started gaining on him bit by bit. And then the thief made the mistake of looking over their shoulder, and Kaoru finally got close enough to grab the back of their hoodie and wrestled them to a stop: "Hah! Caught you!"

"Lemme go!" The thief howled, struggling in her hold, biting and clawing like an angry cat.

Finally, she got a good look of the miscreant – and Kaoru's heart nearly stopped. The thief was a dirty little boy, not much older than ten, dressed in shabby clothes. Unable to stop herself, Kaoru growled: "Why did you steal from me? Don't you know what happens to thieves? If you get caught –"

"Shut up, ugly! Of course I know! But even that sick fantasy world has to be better than my life!" The thief shouted back at her, his brown eyes full of frustrated anger.

"You IDIOT! You have _no_ idea…!" Kaoru screamed, pausing to inhale before the incoming rant – but the kid didn't give her the chance, retorting instantly: "I'm not an idiot! I'm Yahiko Myojin and I don't fucking care what some ugly broad with a holier-than-thou attitude thinks!"

"You should, you – _Imp_! Because I'm telling you –"

"What is going on here?!" Rang a loud voice, and both Kaoru and the kid in her hold turned to look at the source, _oh no_ –

"…oh fuck, it's the police."

"Wash your mouth." Kaoru bit out under her breath, and then straightened, summoning her best attempt for an innocent smile to her lips and subtly let go of the kid. However, that turned out to be a mistake -

"Nananaa… bye, you suckers." The thief taunted, holding out her camera and then turned to run. However, he only managed a few steps, before he dropped face-first into the street – the police had shot him with stun gun.

In short order, the officer had the thief in irons and was attempting to ignore Kaoru's desperate pleas: "Please, Officer, he made a mistake, yes. But I forgave him! And he did mean to return my camera to me, he was just startled, that's all. Besides, it's an old device, not worth much – surely you can let this pass, please?"

"Sorry, Miss – but a crime is a crime. And even if I hadn't witnessed his attempt to escape, I still wouldn't break my oath," Policeman finally turned to remark, and with a pointed look, he added: "These kids are the trash in the streets – there is only one place for them and that's ISO VR."

"How can you…! You bastard! I forgave him!"

"There is a reason we have laws, young lady. We don't have to weigh the situation with emotions. After all, actions have consequences."

"How can you say that? You can't give up on people! It's human nature to make mistakes! We struggle and fail – but then we rise up and learn from them!" Kaoru screamed with tears in her eyes. _Why can't you understand? Why don't you have any decency?_

"Girl – let it go." The man said, resolutely walking past her and dragging the stunned thief with him. And Kaoru was left to stare after them, her heart hollow in her chest.


	18. ISO VR verse 6 - Grim Reaper

**Prompt: **Grim Reaper

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Scifi AU, continues "Human Nature". (ISO VR-verse, part 6)

**Characters:** Kamiya Kaoru, Hiruma Kihei

**Word count: **1000

* * *

><p>"Hand over your phone and tablet computer if you have one. Take a seat – and in the front row, Kamiya," commanded her Social Studies teacher, Mr. Hiruma, with a sneer.<p>

"Yes, Sir."

"And lose that surly frown, young lady. All actions have consequences. Your constant inattention during lessons and tardiness are both grounds for detention."

_….I don't have time for your petty misplaced grudge! _Kaoru gritted her teeth, but grumpily sat down. The Social studies classroom was desolate, and for a reason.

"If I may ask, why wasn't my detention scheduled at a more regular time?"

"Oh, you question my methods again? Perhaps you would like to stay an hour longer?" The question was voiced in sugary sweet tones, and the insufferable man casually added; "if you must know… as it was my turn to supervise detentions, I scheduled them around my extremely busy hours – not yours."

_Busy hours, my ass… you just picked the most inconvenient time you could think of! _Kaoru bit her lip, trying to rein in her temper; _chill, Kaoru… it's just a Friday night. After a week of dragging your tail in indecision, you can manage to wait two more hours before hounding Niitsu for better leads._

"Besides, I cannot fathom how a teenage girl would rather start off their weekend. Especially one with such unruly behavior - your guardian truly was lax in their duties as a parent. What kind of a man I would be if I didn't offer my best guidance to pick up the slack?

_…you pig, how dare you?! _Clenching her fingers into her uniform's skirt, Kaoru battled down the desire to flip the desk and shout, to rage and wipe that patronizing smirk from his damn face – _I don't know what my dad did to get your tail in a twist_, _but you have no right to speak of him like that!_

Suddenly a loud crash echoed in the hallways, and they both turned to stare at the door. Prof. Hiruma frowned and walked to the doorway, "Huh, there shouldn't be anyone here. It's seven pm, even the cleaners should be done by now. Must be some cursed rascals up for mischief…" He muttered, glancing at his watch, before turning to sneer at her: "Kamiya, stay put. You still have 45 minutes to reflect on your irresponsible behavior."

_…ookayy, that was odd, what could it have been? _Kaoru frowned, attempting to relax in her chair. It was fairly spooky to be alone in the classroom. Quite honestly, she would rather be anywhere else right now – perhaps even packing. After all, tomorrow she was going to take a train all the way to Nagasaki and snoop around the area. _There has to be some local leads I haven't tried yet, especially near the orphanage. Even if it's some busybody – someone has to have seen or heard something back then…_

Unconsciously, Kaoru started tapping the desk in an attempt to calm her nerves.W_hat am I going to tell Niitsu anyway? Maybe I should apologize? I have been quite rude, ignoring all his messages…_

"aaaayaaAH! No! No, please don't!"

Kaoru was halfway across the room before she even registered whose voice it had been, and then only stopped to look for something she could use as a weapon. _Even a broomstick would do! Damn it!_

But then, a desperate plea echoed through the hallways; "Please, stop! I'll do – urrrgh!"

_Fuck! _Kaoru cursed, and dashed out of the doorway, racing through tiled floors cast in shadows. The closer she got, the more of ugly noises she could make out; faint gurgles, hits, cracks. Her heart pumping at a impossible speed, she finally rounded the corner and gasped:_ "_Oh god -_"_

Even at the first glance, it was obvious there was nothing to be done. Hiruma was lying curled to his side, covered in his own blood and urine – and obviously dead. His face was an almost unrecognizable swollen mess, all his features smashed in with a blunt object.

"No, no, not again…" Kaoru whispered. However, before she succumbed to the panic, the lights flickered on at the end of the corridor, over the stairs. Letting out a deep exhale, she clenched her hands into fist and forced herself to move. _They won't get away with this!_

As quiet as she could, Kaoru sneaked to the stairs – keeping an eye out for anything useful. However, her phone was still in the classroom and she didn't have time to get it… oh, but there was fire alarm. _That should startle them properly and get them out into open! Hah! I'll need to be careful, can't get too close – but I need to get a good look of their faces!_

_Ow, ow, ow! _Kaoru hissed from the pain, _how can all the movie heroes break the glass so easily?_

And then, the unholy noise that was the school's fire alarm started blaring and the sprinklers set off – soaking her clothes completely. But as uncomfortable as it was, it also covered the sound of her running. _Now, if I was startled and in a hurry, where I would go?_

_The fire trucks will be coming to the main entrance, so… yes, to the back! _Kaoru panted, and ghosted down the stairs, checking corners before advancing. The dread rising to her throat, she sneaked a glance around the first floor's doorway, seeing the backyard's tall brick wall and there, climbing over it –

_Medium height, dressed in black, ski mask, very lean –_

"STOP!" Kaoru screamed, stepping out in the open. Straddling the wall, the figure paused to look at her. Their stare down was interrupted by the sirens of the arriving police, and oddly, the murderer drew out something long over their head and yelled; "Catch!"

It was pure reflex, nothing more that had Kaoru grabbing the object, but in seconds she realized that it was the worst mistake she could have made. In her hands was the bloodied murder weapon – and it was her own bokken.

* * *

><p><em>AN: And the shit hits the fan. <em>


	19. MAKE A WISH verse 5 - A Sleepless night

**Prompt: **A sleepless night

**Fandom: **Rurouni Kenshin

**Setting: **Modern AU, (continues "Storm")

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Kenshin Himura

**Word count: **993

* * *

><p>00:23 – Kaoru's cell phone displayed the time without mercy. Glaring at the screen didn't help the matter, neither did turning to her other side. No matter what she did, there was this uncomfortable awareness - falling asleep was impossible and her phone was there, ready to be picked up. It would be easy to tap in the numbers burned into her memory and then…<p>

_What, exactly? I should apologize, maybe? But would he even answer? _Kaoru bit her lip, and glanced at the thrice-cursed device laying innocently on her nightstand. Unsurprisingly, it didn't give her any sign of what to do. Only change was the passing of time – 00:26 now.

_Why is this so hard?_

_Kaoru, get a grip of yourself! You have 32 unanswered calls from him – that alone should tell you he wants to hear from you. So what if it took you a few weeks to pull yourself together? Better late than never!_

_Right… _sitting up, Kaoru grabbed her phone and rubbed her brow tiredly.

00:28 glowed on the screen

Tapping in the ten digits of his phone number by reflex, Kaoru inhaled in an attempt to ready herself. However, even her pathetic pep talk didn't make it any easier to press the green button to actually start the call.

_God, I'm so pathetic… _Kaoru huffed andclenched the phone in her hands in sheer frustration. Closing her eyes, she exhaled and –

"…Miss Kaoru, is that you?" Blared from the speakers, and that hesitant soft-toned question couldn't have been anyone but – _oh god, oh god – _"Kenshin!"

Her pulse racing a hundred miles an hour, Kaoru babbled in panic; "…I, I have to apologize, I haven't answered your calls and that was quite rude of me and that thing you did with the soundtrack and the CD, I have never been so touched in my life, and, and – I just wanted to say, ah, ah – I, well - Thank you."

"…oro?"

The befuddled answer was so Kenshin that Kaoru couldn't stop the small breathless laughter escaping from her lips. Slapping a hand to cover her mouth, she tried to hold in the rest of the flood – an almost hopeless task, truly. There was so much left unsaid, after all that had happened… too much to untangle in a simple call. Maybe that was the reason why she unwittingly voiced her thoughts: "I have missed you. I can't sleep, not like this. Could we meet - right now?"

The following silence was long enough that Kaoru feared she had overstepped and she swallowed – but then, he answered: "Yes, of course. Where, that is?"

"There is a park near the restaurant where we met. Is that too far from your place?"

"Not that far, that it isn't. This one will meet you there in ten." He answered promptly, and suddenly the call disconnected and Kaoru was left to stare her phone in stun…

00:33 showed on the screen and his words rang out inside her head: 'meet you there in ten… there in ten, in ten… '

"Oh my god…." Kaoru blurted out, her panic sky-rocketing. _That park is over a mile from my apartment!_

And suddenly there was no time, and she dashed to her closet - jumping into her jeans, and then hopping awkwardly like a drunken kangaroo to pull up her socks as fast as humanly possible, drawing her sweater over her head – no time for bra! And then desperately catching her messy hair in a fast ponytail – and _shoes, shoes! Coat! Keys!_

_Yes, go, go!_

She wouldn't have quite managed to overtake the Road Runner on the way from her house in the suburbs to the park, but it was definitely faster than any sprint since her high school's final Cooper test. Of course it also rendered her into the most unladylike mess, the sort one would never dare to let their crush see them in; she was sweaty, her face was red and her chest was throbbing with pain. However, none of that mattered when she heard footsteps, looked up and saw _him._

"Hi." Kaoru gasped and straightened – his answering smile melting away all of her doubts. Her heart feeling lighter than in weeks, Kaoru stepped closer to join him under the park's streetlamp.

He looked wonderful, if a little different from what she was used to. His red hair was messy and not in the short, stylized look that he had sported through the last decade, but rather it seemed like he had missed out a barber's appointment or two. Also the hoodie he was wearing, even discounting the fact that a 38-year old pop star had such casual clothes… Kaoru frowned in disbelief of the choice, because; "What's with the pink?"

"Oro?" Kenshin glanced down at his shirt, and picked at the worn fabric – and then realization dawned on his features, and he blushed thoroughly, "Oh, that is to say, err… It started off as a joke?" He looked at her and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"…a joke?" Already anticipating a good story, Kaoru grinned and walked over to his side. Then, simply nodding, he joined her easy pace though the park's shaded pathways.

"Err… this one received his first pink shirt as a birthday gift years ago, that one did. But after noticing how people are less likely to recognize this one in such garments, this one has kept buying them." Kenshin explained, relaxing as they walked side by side – seeing her reactions made his beautiful violet eyes light up in amusement. And then scoffing to himself, he added ruefully, "Besides, this one likes bright colors."

"I don't mind – and it isn't a bad look." Kaoru smiled fondly, letting the white lie slip through her teeth. It was worth it, she decided not a second later – for he smiled and started a comfortable banter with her. Like the crisis with the nosy reporters and over-bearing managers had never pushed them apart.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Have some more of these cute dorks. Some sweet fluff is the solution to balance out the messy cesspits of lies, angst and horror that is ISO VR.<em>


	20. NARUTO crossover verse 1 - Wrong Number

**Prompt:** The wrong number

**Fandom:** Rurouni Kenshin, Naruto

**Setting:** Crossover fusion AU

**Characters:** Kaoru Kamiya, Yahiko, Yutaro, Tsubame, Kenshin Himura

**Word count:** 1000

* * *

><p>"… and when <em>I'll<em> be the one to catch that missing ninja, everyone will finally see how great I am!"

"Dream on, shrimp."

"Shut up, cat-eyed quitter! It was your fault that Kamiya-sensei didn't nominate us for the Chūnin exam's this year!"

"My fault? Says a twisted little bastard, who angered Fire lord's wife by dousing her cat! This time I won't let you screw up! Not on our first C-rank!"

"Yutaro-kun, Yahiko-kun… please don't argue." A soft voiced request interrupted the quarrel, and just like that both of the angry young men blushed and mumbled their apologies.

_Thank god for little Tsubame-chan, _Kaoru exhaled and closed her eyes in attempt to rein in her temper. These last months had taught her that stepping between her two little hellion's rivalry was utterly pointless.

Moreover, combining her temper with the boys' arguments usually resulted in screaming matches, which would be very unprofessional conduct while on a mission. And Kaoru Kamiya, a newly promoted Jounin, didn't need anyone else looking down on her. So what if she was only 17? Some prodigies had reached elite ninja's status far younger. Or maybe people doubted her capabilities as a frontline fighter because few women specialized in taijutsu and kenjutsu.

But what really rankled the most, was the thought of people frowning at her choice to become a sensei. After all, usually the elite ninjas spent quite a few years doing missions before applying for a teaching position… _but I don't want to kill ever again – not like that…_

Thankfully Hokage-sama had been understanding of her situation, and hadn't even batted an eye at the unusual request, but simply stamped her application and smiled: "The Genin will be quite fortunate that a capable kunoichi like you is willing to share her knowledge."

Truthfully, Kaoru loved teaching – there was nothing better than seeing the youngsters grow under her guidance. With a solid grounding at chakra reinforcement and basics of Kamiya Kasshin, Yahiko had come a long way from the taijutsu one-trick pony he had been only six months ago. Same with Yutaro, the wealthy merchant's son was becoming quite skilled with his precise ninjutsu. And little Tsubame-chan – she was whom Kaoru was the most proud of. Who knew that a meek and shy Samurai clan's daughter could pick up genjutsu like a natural?

All in all, Kaoru's team of misfits was making good progress - enough so that the only reason she hadn't nominated them for Chūnin exam's had been because the last one had been held in Stone. So, as a consolation price they were now on a C-rank mission to solve a murder mystery in Tanzaku Gai.

"Yahiko, Yutaro – no one will go solo on this mission. And forget battling missing ninjas – even if the client claims the murderer is Hitokiri Battousai, the intelligence concluded that it's just another hoax. Similar cases have come up every now and then, ever since his disappearance in the Mist's revolution ten years ago." Kaoru remarked, and all three of her hellions quieted and looked up at her – focused and ready.

_Very good, _she nodded and continued; "However, to be safe… the bingo book describes him having red hair and a cross-shaped scar of his left cheek. Now, I want you to promise me… if you catch even a glimpse of someone fitting that description, run like hell and report to me. I'm not losing you to a S-rank monster."

"Kaoru-sensei… "

"No need to worry, Tsubame-chan." Kaoru said and squeezed her young protégé's shoulder comfortingly, "The Mist's Seven Swordsmen disbanded years ago, and the Battousai is nothing but a ghost of the past. This is a standard C-rank mission to take down ordinary thugs and as long as you trust your teammates, everything will go just fine."

With those words, Kaoru straightened and started drilling her team about the mission parameters. It was just as well, because not an hour later they finally reached the town. A visit to the police station got them the latest info, even though Chief Uramura didn't seem too enthusiastic to pass his murder investigation to "a team of kids led by a little girl".

Solving those little hurdles, and then securing rooms for her team in a cheap inn, the boys in one room and Tsubame sharing hers, Kaoru was free to scout the streets. It always helped to get first-hand information of the mission, and thankfully her survey of the latest murder scene was enough to confirm that the street killer Battousai hadn't used any chakra in his attacks.

_In the morning I'll have Tsubame check out the rumors with Yutaro, while I go with Yahiko to the morgue. The civilian police may have overlooked something… _Kaoru yawned, and wearily climbed upstairs to her room. It had been a long day; 12 hours of travel, topped with her pre-mission scouting. _Now, what was my and Tsubame's room… it was 14, wasn't it?_

The hallways were utterly empty - as expected at this late hour. _Huh, why would Tsubame-chan lock the door before I came back?_ Kaoru frowned, and silently cursed when she realized she had left her key inside. Oh well, it wasn't an issue, lock-picking was academy stuff.

Deftly working through the simple lock, Kaoru could make out the sound of running water coming from the room. _Ah, and mystery solved – such a shy and proper girl, teamed up with rowdy boys. Of course she is careful,_ Kaoru huffed and smiled as the lock clicked open. Stepping inside, she tossed her vest onto the neatly made bed and shouted; "Tsubame-chan, I'm back. Don't use up all the hot water!"

Immediately, the shower was turned off and Kaoru startled – _just why would she…_

Turning around, she came face to face with a red haired man, standing in the bathroom doorway, dressed only in a tiny towel. Automatically, she noticed the sheathed sword in his left hand as well as the large cross-shaped scar carved into his left cheek.

"Oro?"

"AAAAAH!"

* * *

><p><em>AN: Errr… I have no good explanation for this? Only the fact that I just reread Vathara's fantastic Ruroken crossovers and Mister Cynical's "Nothing but Trouble" and then rabid plot bunnies attacked me with ferocity… oh boy.<em>


End file.
